The Gray Area
by lynalexandria
Summary: Olivia has recently gotten a job at Harvard working as a professor. She's worked hard to be in the position she's at even though she's not well liked by her students. She usually wouldn't let anything or anybody jeopardize her career but Fitz just isn't anybody.
1. Don't Fight It

Soooo.. Sometimes when I'm suffering from writer's block or if I'm bored I come up with little AU ideas and store them away on my computer. I have a bunch of them but I decided to share this one. This story wont be long at all (I'm suspecting no more than 10 chapters). But I hope you enjoy my writing journal/draft thing as much as I enjoyed writing it.

* * *

Fitz frowned as he received the email with his new schedule in it. He sipped his coffee then looked across the table to his friend, Jake. They had met at Starbucks that day to catch up and talk about the upcoming semester.

They had met each other during their time in Navy and had been best of friends ever since. During their time in the service, they had bonded over their mutual love of coffee, literature, and their families ties to politics. While Fitz's father had served time as both governor and senator of California, Jake's father had done the same in Florida. After they left the service, they both got their Masters degrees and now they were in their last year in their PhD program.

One of the main disadvantages of being in the Navy was that he had never gotten time to settle down. While he wasn't actively 'searching for a wife' as his father put it, he knew he wanted somebody. He had so much love to give but nobody to take it.

'Jake, did Dr. Beene send you your schedule for this semester?' Fitz asked, now placing his coffee back on the table and leaning in closer to the screen. He probably needed to invest in some reading glasses but he'd never openly admit to that.

'Let me see.' he typed away on his computer until he found the email with the document. 'Ya, why?'

'Who is O. Pope?' his eyebrows furrowed when he realized he'd be taking the instructor twice a week on two separate nights.

'I think he's the new instructor they had last semester. I heard he's tough.' he said, now frowning.

'He teaches Ancient Roman and Greek Literature and this Historical Context class from 5-8 on Mondays and Wednesdays.' they both groaned in unison.

'This semester already looks like shit and it hasn't even started.' Jake huffed. He wasn't usually the type to complain about hard work but this semester was supposed to be easy. They were both hoping to skate through to their degree.

'At least it says all text will be provided. No $500 book to lug around.' he tried to seem optimistic but Jake just shook his head.

'Just admit its going to be shit.'

'It's probably going to be shit.' Fitz admitted with a sigh.

* * *

 **4:55pm, Monday**

Olivia walked out of her office with her best friend, Abby. While other professors in the department tended to dress in suits everyday, she had always preferred business casual. Not only was it more comfortable, she felt it looked better on her.

'Thanks for dinner, Abby. I would probably starve without you.' she admitted as she locked the door behind her and they walked out of the administrative suites to head towards the elevators.

'I know.' she light heartedly scoffed. 'I was hoping that maybe you wouldn't be so mean to your students on a full stomach.'

Olivia's eyes rolled. She never tried to be 'mean' to her students, it just happened that way. She was younger than a lot of her them and she needed to establish her position as the teacher.

'I'm not a mean teacher. I'm just stern and give a lot of work.' she nodded, reassuring herself more than her friend.

'And your grading system is from hell.' she reminded as they stepped on the elevator.

'These people want to leave our program with their PhD's. I cant, in good conscience, let them graduate if they don't have adequate knowledge of the given materials.'

'Don't try and defend yourself to me.' Abby laughed and held her hands up in a mock surrender. They hugged when they got downstairs and she left while Olivia continued on her way to the classroom.

Because her class was so late and everybody had heard about how hard it was, she only had about 20 people sitting in the large lecture hall. She suspected about half of them would drop out by the end of the semester but oddly, that never bothered her. Olivia hadn't been teaching long but she was good as what she did. She knew she was good at what she did.

After walking into the classroom she made her way to the front desk and put her purse down on top of it. Because they still had 2 minutes before class began she started pulling the syllabi out of her leather briefcase.

Fitz and Jake had been sitting in the front of the room and had watched her come in. Jake leaned over to him.

'What's that girl doing behind Dr. Pope's desk?'

'I don't know but if this guy is as bad as what they say, she should probably move.' Fitz watched her get settled into the seat at the front and found himself mesmerized. He didn't know one thing about her but he knew he wanted her.

When 5 came around, Olivia walked over to the door and shut it. Everybody in the classroom had been having side conversations, not realizing that their professor was staring right at them. She stood in front of the desk and cleared her throat. Her eyes rolled when she realized she hadn't caught anyone's attention except for the handsome man up in the front of the class. She quickly looked away from him, realizing that his little grin made her stomach flip.

'Excuse me.' she said loudly but no one turned around. She sighed and grabbed her briefcase and dropped it to the floor and it made a loud noise. Everyone looked forward and she perched herself up on her desk, crossing her legs.

'Good evening class, I am your professor, Dr. Olivia Pope.' she watched as jaws dropped around the room and Olivia gave them time to get over it. It was a fairly common response. 'Let's get some things straight. When I walk into the room and shut the door, independent discussions stop. 5-8 is my time unless you plan on dropping my class.' she gave them all a pointed look then continued.

'And just to answer the questions I know that are buzzing around your minds, yes, I am young, yes, my class is hard, and no, we will not be getting out early and I rarely cancel.' she scanned the class and caught eyes with him again. She shifted a little uncomfortably before standing with a stack of papers in her hands.

He was going to have to stop looking at her like that. She was going to melt if he didn't.

'This your syllabus. I will not be reminding you of due dates so please invest in a planner if you need one. I hear you can print off free pdfs so keep it as an option.' she walked around handed out the packets. When she got to Fitz, she held the paper out and his fingertips brushed against her hand. She internally chastised herself for the little shiver that surged through her body.

After everyone got a copy, she perched herself back on her desk and allowed them time to read over it. Somebody raised their hand soon and Olivia just shook her head.

'No, I don't give extra credit.' she answered before even hearing the question. The student just nodded nervously. 'If you're having an emergency and can't make it to class, you can email me at the address on the paper or call the office number. My calls are directly forwarded to my cell phone so please don't call at an indecent time.'

After giving them a few more moments, she pulled out a stack of papers from her brief case. She stood up again and started handing them out to the class but was careful to place Fitz's directly on the desktop and ignore his outstretched hand. He couldn't help but chuckle softly as he realized how hard she was trying to avoid any eye or physical contact with him.

When she finished, she sat back on the desk and crossed her legs, her Jimmy Choo pumps hanging lazily from her toes.

'Before we start, everybody introduce yourselves and say something about yourself. Your favorite color or something.' she grabbed her role and listened to her students. This wasn't something she normally did but she found it was easier to learn their names this way and she kind of wanted to learn more about the man that had been eyeing her.

Fitz stood up first. 'My name is Fitzgerald Thomas Grant but everybody calls me Fitz. My favorite color is green.' he gave her a crooked smile and Olivia looked away from him, determined to not let a little flirting ruin what she had worked so hard to build.

The rest of the class did their little introductions and she marked their names on the roll then began her lecture. On the occasions that she would look up from her notes, Fitz would be looking directly at her. She moved her hand to her stomach to settle the butterflies that she thought had left her years ago.

She lectured right up until it was time to go then dismissed the class. Everybody rushed out of the room, now sick of sitting in the same spot for 3 hours. Fitz walked up to the desk where she was gathering her things and smiled sweetly.

'I really enjoyed the lecture, Dr. Pope.'

Olivia didn't meet his gaze. She was dangerously close to getting lost in his eyes. 'You don't have to kiss my ass after class. Undergraduate tricks don't work here.'

'I'm not.' he said defensively. 'I genuinely did enjoy it. I especially enjoyed your opinion about part one-'

She scoffed and turned her head so she could look him in the eyes. 'My opinion? What do you mean my opinion? You don't agree with me?'

Fitz shifted his weight to one leg and rubbed the back of his neck. 'Honestly, no. I've always believed that-'

Olivia interrupted him again. She didn't mean to be rude but it was a bad habit of hers. She was so used to having to jump to defend herself it was hard to just sit back and listen. 'You're extremely bold to attempt to challenge me on the subject of my dissertation.'

'Well, why don't we get coffee and further discuss?' he smiled sweetly and Olivia's lip involuntarily turned up in a smirk.

'I believe that would be inappropriate. Why don't you find concrete evidence and bring it to class on Monday night? Although I'm sure I could throw any theory you have in the garbage.' she picked her bag up and started walking towards the door and he followed after her.

'Excellent. See you Wednesday night.' he smiled sweetly at her again then walked out of the door while Olivia headed to the parking lot. She needed to find another way to discretely avoid him.

With the help of her old mentor, Cyrus Beene, Olivia had obtained this job working at Harvard's main campus and a small loft apartment close to the school. It wasn't much but it would work until she could find something that suited her. She dropped her things at the front door then went and got ready for bed.

It was usually fairly easy for Olivia to fall asleep but not tonight. Tonight, her thoughts about him consumed her mind. His brown curly hair, the smell of his cologne, that crooked little smile that he showed off all night. It was driving her mad. She got up and made herself some tea, hoping it would help clear her mind.

It didn't but it did help her fall asleep.

* * *

 **Wednesday**

'I have a crush on one of my students.' Olivia grunted out her admission to her best friend over Caesar salads in her office. Fitz had been the main subject on her mind since Monday night and it didn't help that he was also enrolled in her Wednesday night class, too.

'Ew.' Abby said sarcastically with smirk. She knew her friend had a tendency to over react to everything so she decided to just sit back and listen.

'I'm serious.' she huffed as she tossed her fork to the side. 'Not just a regular crush, Abby. He's been on my mind since Monday night.' she rested her forehead in her palm.

'Having a crush on a student isn't a crime, Olivia.' she rolled her eyes at her friend's dramatics.

'He asked me out for coffee.' she mumbled.

'You should go!' she said, hitting her hand down on the table.

'Abby, that would be highly unethical. He's my student.' her head shook.

'So if he wasn't your student, would you date him?'

Olivia thought for a moment then slowly nodded her head. 'Yes. Probably. I'd at least go get coffee with him.'

'Well, then maybe you should explain to him that now isn't the right time.' she reasoned. 'You need to get out there and go on a date, Liv. When was the last time you went out?'

'A long time ago.' her eyes rolled, not wanting to admit the specific amount of time. If she had to be honest, it had been 6 years since she had even found herself even attracted to a man.

'What I wouldn't give for you to get a boyfriend to tell you to relax and remind you to eat.' she sighed dreamily.

'You'd probably miss it.' she smirked and pushed the lettuce on her plate around. 'You love feeding me.'

At 5, Abby left and Olivia went down to her classroom. They had spent the whole hour playing out the pros and cons of her going out with Fitz but she resisted it at every corner. There was no way she was going to ruin her reputation over some little fling. Besides, he was probably just trying to use her to get a good grade.

As she walked in, her eyes met with his. He was sitting on the front row in the same spot as Monday night. Tonight he wore a pair of khaki pants and a white button down shirt that he had rolled up 3/4s of the way. He smiled at her but she turned her attention to her feet as she shut the door behind her.

Ignoring him while she tried to give her lecture was a harder task than she had originally thought. They spent the first 30 minutes of class simply stealing glances at each other. Olivia prayed that nobody was paying too much attention to them because she was sure they'd notice.

Fitz pulled a bottle of water from his backpack and took a few sips of it. She found herself staring at his neck as she watching his adams apple bob up and down as he drank from his container. As soon as he realized she was watching him, he put the bottle away and winked at her.

Olivia's breath hitched as she realized she had been caught staring. She turned her attention back to the board so she wouldn't have to face him again. They had over 2 hours left in class and she had no idea how she was going to survive. She was just going to have to avoid looking at him for the rest of the night.

Fitz chuckled softly as he realized what she was trying to do. He kept his gaze fixed on her as she moved around the room, discussing their topic with other students. There was no way he was going to take this lying down. If she wanted to play this little game of cat and mouse then he'd chase her until she wore herself out.

When she turned her back towards them again and started writing on the board, he cleared his throat loudly. 'Professor Pope?'

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she realized who was addressing her. They hadn't been around each other long but she knew that deep baritone anywhere. 'Yes, Mr. Grant?'

His nose crinkled at the use of his last name. It was just another way for her to try and separate herself from him but he'd let it slide. _For now_. 'I have a comment.' he said, trying to get her to turn around again.

She sighed and turned from the board again. She liked to encourage open discussion in her class but now she regretted it. 'What is it?'

'Well, from my studies, I have to disagree with what the footnotes on this story is saying.' he said, testing the waters out slightly. All eyes were on him as his classmates watched him challenge their teacher.

'Oh, really?' her eyebrow cocked. She crossed her arms across her chest then moved to sit on top of her desk. As much as she wanted to avoid talking to Fitz, she loved a good challenge.

'Yes.' his shoulders shrugged, enjoying the response he was getting from her. He liked seeing her get worked up. 'I don't believe the pilgrims from the Canterbury Tales were leaving to escape the plague.'

'I never said they were.' she cut her eyes at him. 'Nobody knows their exact reason for leaving England. It was either because of the plague or—'

'Or because of their distrust of their government.' he said, finishing her statement.

She cut her eyes at him again. It wasn't that he hadn't made a valid point, she just wanted him to stop being so damn smart. It was only making her want him more and she knew she couldn't have him. 'Good observation, Mr. Grant. You all take note on what he said and we'll discuss it in further lectures.'

After class ended, Fitz sat in his seat and waited for his other classmates to file out of the room. Jake shot him a suspicious look but Fitz explained he had a question for Dr. Pope and he left without further question. As soon as the door shut, he stood from his seat and walked over to the desk where she was gathering her things.

'So, have you reconsidered my offer for coffee?' he said, grabbing her attention as she put her notebook away in her bag.

'Again, Mr. Grant, that would be highly inappropriate.' she pushed her purse up on her shoulder and held her briefcase in her hands.

'Well, let's be inappropriate.' a grin crept at the corners of her mouth.

'Goodnight, Mr. Grant.' she fought the smile playing at her lips and started walking out the door but he was right on her heels.

'My friends call me Fitz.' he said, keeping up easily with her.

'Good for them.' she held a 'thumbs up' with her freehand. They were the last class that night so the building was completely empty. She chastised herself for being caught up with him alone.

'You can call me that, too.' he sped up so he could stand in front of her, halting her steps and blocking her way to the door.

'I'm your professor, not your friend.' she shook her head.

'But, we could be friends.' he smiled sweetly down at her.

'No, we can't.' she tried moving past him but he stepped in the way once more.

'I know you like me. I can tell by the way you look at me and how your body shivers whenever I get too close.' his voice was low. He took a step closer to her and she sheepishly looked down. Her shoes had all of a sudden become extremely interesting.

'That doesn't matter, Mr. Grant. Our relationship needs to stay professional.'

Fitz slowly reached over and tucked his pointer finger under her chin. Instead of taking a step back or moving away from him, she simply allowed him to tilt her head back up to him. He almost smiled as he watched almost all of her resolve wash away.

'You know if it's meant to be, its going to happen, right?'

'We're not 'meant to be'' she said, trying to convince herself more than him. She took a step back to regain her composure. 'These are just silly crushes that we need to get over.'

'I don't have 'silly crushes'.' he said, taking another step closer to her. 'Don't fight this.'

'This can't happen!' she lowly hissed. 'You're my student and I'm your teacher. They could have both of our heads on a silver platter if we're caught! This is highly unethical and—'

Before she could get the rest of her sentence out, Fitz reached out and grabbed her. Gently, he gripped the sides of her waist with his large palms and pulled her body against his. Olivia's lip quivered as she expected him to kiss her mouth but it never came.

Instead, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, both of her cheeks, then the corner of her lips. She could feel her knees weaken below her and her eyes shut tightly. It felt like forever since a man was so gentle with her and it was highly intoxicating. He was definitely clouding her better judgement.

Olivia was abruptly brought back to reality as he took a step back and released her body. He caressed her cheek before moving out of her way so that she could leave the building. 'How much longer will you be able to avoid this? Relationships aren't always black and white. **Don't fight this**.'

She took a deep breath and looked away from him. She needed time to think and being with him wouldn't allow her to that that. 'I'll consider.' she mumbled as she moved past him and out the door.

* * *

So that was chapter one. I'm going to be updating Knights Ferry soon. I just needed a bit of inspiration and writing this helped. Hope you all enjoyed.


	2. The Hyacinth Girl

**Monday**

Olivia came in right at 5 as usual. Fitz had been the only thing on her mind since Wednesday night and she actually found herself excited for class today. She approached the closed door and grabbed the handle but took a deep breath before opening it. She needed to keep her composure.

After a few moments to herself, Olivia walked into the classroom looking straight forward. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she would be looking for him as soon as she walked in. Making her way to the front, she dropped her purse and briefcase on her desk then sat on top of it.

After taking a quick glance over the room she found everybody with their heads down in their notebooks. Everybody except him. Of course _he_ would have to be staring at her before she could even begin her lecture. Fitz licked his lips slowly, knowing that she was watching, before reaching down in his backpack to grab his notebook.

Olivia's face flushed. She pressed her hands on top of her stomach to settle her butterflies then turned her attention to her briefcase. He was going to drive her crazy.

'You all had an assignment due today.' she reminded, taking out her copy of The Wasteland that they had been reading over.

Fitz was the only person who remembered. Nobody was expecting an assignment this soon but he knew he had to stay on his toes. He needed to impress her. With a smile, he stood to his feet and walked up to the front of the room with his paper in hand. Since his back was turned to his classmates, he took the opportunity to wink at her before returning to his seat.

Jake smacked his shoulder. 'A reminder would've been nice.'

'Sorry, I thought you knew.' he shrugged and gave him a fake apologetic look.

Olivia crossed her legs. 'Alright, I guess since only one of you did the homework, we'll just have open discussion about part one. Any volunteers want to start us off?' she glanced around the room but when no one raised their hands she rolled her eyes. 'Seriously? Are you guys in elementary school? Am I going to have to pick somebody from the crowd?'

She scanned the room but she already knew who she was going to pick. As much as she wanted to stay away from him, it was nearly impossible. It was almost as if there was a magnet in his chest that kept her coming back. 'Fitz, why don't you tell us about your interpretation of the text.' she looked back down at the paper in her lap. She knew that constituded her making the next move but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

A wide smile formed on Fitz's face. Although it seemed like a small step, it was still in the right direction. He loved the way her pouty mouth looked when she dragged his name out. He couldn't wait to see what it felt like to press his lips to them or hear the noises she made when she was touched in just the right spots.

He flipped in his notebook to find his notes. Olivia listened carefully to his analysis then shook her head.

'You're forgetting something.' she said, still looking down at her notes.

'And what may that be, Dr. Pope?' he cocked an eyebrow. He sat back in his seat, ready to watch and enjoy the little show he was about to get. Fitz had taken notice of a few of her habits but this one by far was his favorite. He loved to watch her get all worked up their lesson and see the flame glow behind her eyes

'The hyacinth girl.' she stood from the desk. 'Every single word in poetry has a meaning. It's not there to seem pretty or to be ornamental. It's functional.'

'Well, a hyacinth is a flower.' he reasoned.

'Obviously.' she said kind of harshly but she didn't mean any harm. Her words sometimes just came out that way.

'A girl that likes hyacinths?' he questioned, not deterred by her tone.

Olivia shook her head as she slowly paced the floor, waiting for someone to come up with an answer. While mostly everybody had spaced out, Fitz's mind was working on finding the answer she wanted. His eyes followed as she went back and fourth but then he smiled.

'Hyacinthus and Apollo.'

'What about them?' Jake cocked an eyebrow. He had always enjoyed American literature so this topic had gone way over his head.

Olivia ignored Jake's comment and stood in front of Fitz's desk and looked him in the eyes, waiting for him to finish his thought. 'Hyacinthus was killed when he went to get a disc for Apollo. He got too close to the sun and burned to death. Apollo loved his companion so much, he made him into a hyacinth flower.' he explained, keeping his eye contact with Olivia.

'" _Frisch weht der Wind. Der Heimat zu. Mein Irisch Kind. Wo weilest du_?"' she rested her palms on his desk top as she recited the next line of poetry.

'Tristan and Isolde.' he said with confidence. He smiled softly at her and her heart flipped. She took a step back and cleared her throat then walked back towards her desk to calm herself down. She sat on top of it.

'Who can tell me about Tristan and Isolde?'

A guy in the back started explaining it but she couldn't pay attention to him. Not with Fitz looking at her like the hung the moon in the sky. She took a deep breath and continued on with the open discussion. At the end of class, she gathered her things, knowing he wouldn't leave until the room cleared.

'Got any plans for tomorrow, Fitz?' Jake stood from his seat.

'Not really. I'm going to the gym in the morning, though.' he said, remaining in his desk.

'I'll join you.' he nodded then looked at him questioningly. 'Why do you always wait for everyone to leave before coming?'

Fitz sighed to himself and stood up. He didn't have a good reason as to why he needed to stay later and he definitely wasn't quick enough on his feet to think of one. Before walking out with Jake, he looked over his shoulder and mouthed. 'Stay here'.

Olivia cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms as if she was offended. She was tempted to just walk away and go to her car to be difficult but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not when she wanted to see him. Not when he was the only thing on her mind. Not when she wanted nothing more than to just be close to him.

She huffed loudly to make sure he could hear her displeasure then sat down in a seat to wait. Fitz couldn't help but laugh as he just envisioned her cute little pout. It didn't take long to get Jake off of his back and he returned to the classroom 5 minutes later.

'Boyfriend giving you problems?' she asked as he made his way back into the room.

'Your sarcasm wont scare me away.' he grinned.

'Just a simple question.' she shrugged. 'I overheard you guys making date plans for in the morning.'

'Haha, very funny. Jake and I were in the Navy together.'

'You were in the Navy?'

'Yes, does that turn you on?' he wiggled his eyebrows and Olivia held her giggle back but started walking towards the door to avoid answering his question. Everything he did turned her on but she wouldn't admit it.

Fitz followed her out of class and towards the door that led to the faculty and staff parking lot. 'So, I heard you consider my offer.'

Olivia chuckled softly and shook her head. Of course he wouldn't be able to let it go. 'I don't know what you're referring to, Mr.—'

Before she could finish her sentence, he had his hands back on her waist. He turned her around so that she was facing him then pressed his body to hers. She inhaled sharply but allowed herself to rest her body weight against him. Her knees were growing weaker so she didn't think she'd be able to hold herself up, anyway.

Fitz kissed both corners of her mouth, teasing her with the kiss he refused to share yet. He traveled down the left side of her jaw, listening to her try to hold her moans in. She wasn't doing a very good job of it so he was happy about that. He wanted to hear her.

'Say my name..' he mumbled against her neck.

'I.. I already said it.' she choked out, trying to be difficult. She didn't want him to know that he had this much power over her.

'Say it again.' he pulled her closer to him, their bodies coming together hard. 'Say it loud for me.'

Olivia whimpered and wrapped her arms around his shoulders to help keep her balance. He moved to her ear and bit down on it softly before soothing the sting with a slight flick of his tongue.

'Fitz.' she finally moaned as she turned her head to kiss him.

Fitz held back his triumphant grin and pulled away so their lips couldn't touch. 'I love the way you say that. Tell me again.'

Olivia's bottom lip quivered as she tried to connect their lips once more. 'Please.' she pleaded. She wanted nothing more at that moment than for his lips to be molded to hers. 'Fitz.'

'One more time, sweet girl.' he said, pressing their foreheads together and bringing his lips right in her reach.

'Fitz.' she said a little louder this time before finally taking his mouth.

Before things could get too heated, they heard somebody fumbling around down the hall. They couldn't see them but they knew that the person was close. Olivia quickly parted their lips and attempted to take a step away from him.

'It's probably just the maintenance people. Come here.' his grip on her body tightened.

'Stop.' Olivia hissed softly. 'We're going to get caught.' she pushed his arms off of her body and straightened out her outfit. She was going to have to start being more careful. This was way too risky.

'I have to go.' she turned on her heel to leave but Fitz caught her hand.

'Let me call you tonight so we can talk. Or I could come over and—'

Olivia shook her head furiously. 'Good night, Fitz.' she said, snatching her hand away and walking out the door.

Fitz sighed and watched her walk away, disappointed but not deterred. He headed in the opposite direction towards the student lot where he passed by the janitor who was busily mopping up down the hall.

'Thanks a lot, asshole.' Fitz shot him a look.

The janitor gave him a questioning look but simply shrugged his shoulders before returning to his task.

* * *

When Olivia walked in the class on Wednesday night, she had a deep frown on her face. She sat on the desk but didn't open her briefcase. Jake leaned over and say under his breath.

'She looks even meaner than usual.' he chuckled but Fitz ignored him.

Olivia cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. 'Unfortunately we have had a few robberies on campus lately so tonight, instead of class, a representative from campus security is going to come and talk to you guys.'

Since Jake and Fitz were the only two people who sat on the front row, she sat in the empty chair next to the one Fitz had his backpack in. He glanced over at her and smiled sweetly and her face relaxed from its frown but she immediately looked down at her phone. They definitely couldn't be stealing glances at each other in class.

After a few minutes, one of the campus officers came to talk to them being safe on campus. He was short and bald with a big belly but looked to be around 30. He was chewing on a hamburger and had ketchup on his hands but wiped it off on his uniform.

'Now, I need a volunteer.' he said but nobody raised their hands. 'Dr. Pope, why don't you come up?'

'No, thank you.' she didn't even look up at him. She was keeping herself busy on her phone.

'Aw, come on. Do it for the students!' he grinned. 'Class, don't you want to see your teacher as an example?'

When the officer kept heckling her about it, she grunted and stood and came to the front of the room. He smiled slyly at her then took hold of her hand. It was then Fitz realized why she didn't want to be apart of the demonstration. The officer obviously had a crush on her.

'Now, Dr. Pope, you're a beautiful young woman who has to walk alone to your car at night. What do you do if you're approached by someone?'

'Mace them.' she said simply as she snatched her hand away.

Officer Young frowned. 'The campus does not allow any form of weapons so macing isn't really an option.'

'So you're telling me if I'm approached by someone who means to cause me bodily harm, I cant use what I have to defend myself?' her eyebrow cocked.

'Nope.' he took her hand again. 'Now, lets say he approaches and takes your hand, like so.' he gestured to their joint hands. 'What you're going to do is use turn quickly and use the palm of your free hand and go for the nose.' he used his free hand and put it right beside Olivia's face. 'Then, after, use the same hand and go for their chest.' his hand moved to her breasts. He was close but didn't touch.

Olivia rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. 'Somebody else's turn.' she moved to her seat and picked her phone back up.

Fitz frowned as he realized how uncomfortable the officer must have made her feel. He wanted to be there for her and hold her and kiss the top of her head until she felt better but he knew he couldn't. Instead, he stood to his feet.

'I'll volunteer.' he said straightening out his shirt and walking to the front of the class.

Officer Young nodded his head. 'Alright. The next move I'm going to show you is pretty simple. It's just a straight forward head lock. Ladies you may not be strong enough to pull this one off but you can at least watch and take notes.'

Olivia scoffed at his sexist comment. She hadn't planned on watching but they had her full attention now that Fitz was up there. She put her phone facedown on the desk and crossed her legs.

Fitz winked in her direction before turning back to the officer. With his years of experience in the Navy it wasn't hard to subdue Officer Young. 'Like this, Officer?' he asked, pretending as if he didn't know his own strength.

'Ya. Like that.' he choked out, struggling against Fitz's grip.

Fitz smiled and allowed him to tap out before returning to his seat. While he was still upset he had even dared to touch Olivia's hand, he was slightly satisfied that he got a chance to get back at him.

The officer's presentation took up the whole class time. Afterwards, Olivia stood and he came right over to her.

'So, how'd you like my presentation?'

'I would've liked it a lot better if it had lasted an hour like you said it would. We had a lot to cover today.'

'Can't put a time limit on safety, Olivia. Can I call you that?'

'No. Dr. Pope would be great.' she gave him a fake smile.

'Well, why don't I walk you out to your car?'

'I need to get some stuff from my office so, no thanks.'

'I can wait.' he smiled sweetly at her. A gesture Fitz had been doing that melted her heart every single time but he was just aggravating her. She stepped closer to him.

'I'm going to be blunt. I'm not interested in your advances. Please, stop.' she grabbed her purse and didn't even watch as Officer Young walked out of the room with his head hung low. She glanced over to where Fitz was sitting and realized that he had already left for the night.

Her bottom lip poked out into a pout but she quickly composed herself. They weren't technically "together", so she couldn't be upset that he didn't stay to say goodbye or talk to her.

'It's just a silly crush, Olivia.' she said under her breath before leaving the classroom and turning out the lights.

* * *

 **Monday Night**

Olivia came in at 5, per her usual, and Fitz smiled at her but she just shot him a look. She normally wasn't one to pout or whine but she was pretty miffed about him not staying the other night. She perched herself on the desk and glanced around the room to make sure everyone was in attendance then spoke up.

'Everybody pass your homework up to the front.'

After last week's incidentally, everybody remembered. They all passed their papers in to Fitz who stood and walked to where she was sitting. He smiled at her again but she looked away.

'Perfect. Glad to see everybody read their calendar of events. Now, lets get today started. I told you all that I want closing thoughts before we move on to part two.'

A few hands raised. She usually would've called on Fitz first but this time she skipped over him and went to a girl in the back. Fitz just smirked and turned his attention to his notebook. She was way too cute for her own good, especially when she tried to be upset with him.

Olivia let him give his closing remarks last then she went to the board and started writing a few bullet points she wanted them to copy. When she turned around, everyone was writing except him. He was just watching her.

Her stomach began to ache the more she looked at him. How could something as simple as a smile make her feel like this? She forced herself to glare at him then turn her head. Once everyone was done writing, she started reading from the poem.

After her lecture, she assumed he'd wait for her but he picked up his backpack and left out with the rest of the class. She took a deep breath and gathered her things and tried to remind herself that it was truly just a crush. Olivia chastised herself for letting her feelings get involved with someone she barely knew, especially one of her students.

She grabbed her bag and walked out of the door where he was waiting on the other side, leaning against a wall.

'Hi.' he smiled.

'Hi.' she said plainly as she walked towards the parking lot door.

'You're upset.' he commented. His large strides made it easy for him to take a step in front of her.

'I'm not, Mr. Grant.' she said with just a tad of venom in her voice. She crossed her arms and looked away from him.

'Oh so I'm back to being Mr. Grant now?' he asked, his eyebrow cocked in amusement. 'Last week I had you crying my name out.'

Olivia's face flustered as memories of last week flashed through her head. She shook her head as if that would help ward them away. 'That was a mistake, Mr. Grant. It wont happen again.'

He couldn't help but chuckle. 'You're adorable when you try to be mad at me.' he took a step closer to her. 'Look at me, please.'

'No and I would appreciate it if you moved so I could get to my car.' she said stubbornly.

Fitz gently grabbed her chin and turned her head so he could look her in the eyes. 'I'm sorry for leaving on Wednesday.'

'No, you're not.' she pouted but caught her protruding lip in her teeth.

'Yes, I am. I left you alone with that sleezeball officer.'

'You did.' she agreed with a slight nod.

'I got pulled out by some of the other people in the class and they just wouldn't let me go.' he said apologetically.

'Fine.' she said plainly but she meant it. She looked away from him to hide the small smile on her face.

'You're not mad?' his signature grin crept back.

'No.' she shook her head and he released her chin. It took way too much energy to stay upset with him

'Can I have a kiss?' he asked and tried wrapping his arms back around her waist.

'You don't deserve one.' she took a step away from him. 'And it's too risky.'

'I may not deserve one but can I have one anyway?' he asked as he backed her against the wall behind them.

Olivia inhaled sharply as she realized that she was now trapped. She looked up in his eyes, her bottom lip trembling as she anticipated what he would do next. She needed to stop being alone with him. All her better judgement got thrown out of the window when she did.

'I think you want to be kissed as much as I want to kiss you.' he chortled before leaning forward and nipping at her bottom lip.

'S.. Somebodies going to see us.' she tried to protest even though her body was betraying her. As much as she was trying to vocally protest, her lips were still searching for his. 'We're going to get caught.'

Fitz placed one of his large palms flat against her stomach, pressing her completely against the wall. 'No, we're not. I'm going to take care of you. Nothing bad is going to happen.' he reassured softly as his tongue traced the outline of her lips.

Olivia struggled to just nod her head and let go. It felt so good to be in his arms and pinned underneath his body weight. She would never admit that out loud but they both knew how much she was enjoying it. Her thoughts began to cloud and fog as his tongue entered her mouth and rubbed up against the roof of her mouth.

Fitz's hands traveled lower, leaving her waist and taking residence at her plump behind. He gently squeezed the two globes in his hands, causing her to squeak and jerk closer to him. He chuckled softly but continued his ministrations, massaging her as he continued to tease her tongue.

Olivia could start to feel a familiar tingling in between her thighs and that brought her out of the moment. She abruptly pushed him off of her, now gasping for air and straightening her clothes out. She shot him a dirty look as if it was all his fault.

'This cant happen again. I'm serious!' she fussed.

Fitz chuckled and shook his head and wiped his bottom lip before analyzing the purple lipstick stain now on his finger. 'I feel like we've been through his before. I'll let you get away this time but just know that I will be claiming whats mine. Soon.' he emphasized the last word.

'I'm not yours!' she crossed her arms across her chest.

'I'm not going away. You can't push me away, you cant send me away, and I'm definitely not going willingly.' he took a step away from her, allowing her to pass. 'Until Wednesday night.'

Olivia stomped her way past him, trying to quickly get to the safety of her car. Before she was out of his arms reach, she felt a pop land on her backside. She yelped and grabbed her cheek and turned back to Fitz to shoot him a dirty look.

'Sorry.' he smiled coyly. 'I couldn't help it.'

* * *

 **Wednesday Night**

After their class time ended, Olivia grabbed her things and the students all rushed out. He approached her desk.

'And what exactly gives you the right to tell us which parts of Canterbury Tales to read and which to skip? It's a masterpiece.'

'My doctoral degree and my paycheck.' she smirked and pushed her purse up on her shoulder. 'Read it all then.'

'I will.' he playfully huffed. 'Will you discuss it with me? Maybe over coffee or lunch?'

'No.' she shook her head and headed out and he followed behind her as usual. As much fun as their rendezvous in the hall was on Monday she knew that couldn't happen again. When they made it to the door, they realized it had began to rain. She groaned at the sight.

'I'll drive you to your car.' he took his keys out of his pocket but she shook her head.

'That's alright. It'll be fine.' she said hurriedly.

'Absolutely not. I'm not letting you go out there in the rain.' he grabbed her hand and led her over to the main entrance. 'Stay here, please.' he went out to the student parking lot and got in his car and drove around to the main entrance.

She was about to step out in the rain to get to his car but he hopped out with his umbrella and came over to her. He put his arm around her waist, holding her close and she smiled up at him.

'Aw, I finally did something to see this pretty smile.' he grinned but she bit down on her lip and looked away, enjoying the sight of his arm around her.

'Shut up.' he opened her door for her then climbed in on his side then drove around to the faculty parking lot.

'Which one's yours?' he asked, analyzing for anything that looked like something she would drive.

'That one.' she pointed to a black Camaro with dark tint.

'Never pictured you as much of a sports car type of lady.' he drove up to it.

'My brother owns a dealership. It was a gift.' she smirked then grabbed her purse then put her hand on the door to get out but he grabbed her arm.

'Can I please take you out this weekend? It doesn't have to be big.'

'For the last time, no. There is no way in the world I'm going to get coffee with you.' she glared at him but her face softened. 'But I will be at Starbucks on Saturday around 10 to grade papers and I will most likely be there all day.'

He grinned and released her arm. 'What a coincidence. That's when I was going.'

'Hm, wouldn't it be crazy if I sat at a table for two?'

'And wouldn't it be even crazier if I just happened to order an extra hazelnut latte?'

'Crazy.' she smirked and stepped out the car then got in hers.

* * *

 _ **Alright! So there's chapter two. Things are starting to heat up between the two of them. This story will probably change to be rated M.. Soon. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I loved writing. As usual, leave a review and tell me what you think!**_

 _ **Also, just in case you were curious, they're reading The Wasteland by T.S. Elliot on Monday nights and the Cantebury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer on Wednesday nights. Maybe that didnt interest you at all but I wanted to share lol**_


	3. Not-Date'

**Saturday Morning**

Fitz and Olivia hadn't spoken at all since Wednesday night. They had passed each other in the hallway on Friday afternoon and he had attempted to wave at her but she kept her attention elsewhere. He knew that she saw him but she was obviously ignoring him. It was probably for the best that at least one of them was careful but Fitz hated the position they were in. He wanted to take her out publicly and hold her hand and he definitely wanted to shoot dirty looks at the other men who approached her.

He wasn't exactly sure what somebody was supposed to wear on a Starbucks 'not-date', but he still wanted to dress to impress. He hadn't done much dating at all since his time in the Navy but women tended to naturally gravitate towards him. Fitz never had to put fourth too much effort if he saw a woman he liked but Olivia was obviously going to make him work for it. He chose a pair of dark jeans, brown loafers, and a dark blue sweater since the weather was starting to cool down a little.

Fitz checked himself out nervously in the mirror as he adjusted his outfit. He couldn't help but laugh as he realized he was acting like a nervous teenager going out on his first date. He definitely needed to calm himself down before going out.

After a short peptalk, he left his house to head towards the Starbucks near campus. He had a little work to do himself so he grabbed his backpack off of the backseat and went inside. It was 10:00 on the dot and he had a feeling she'd already be there waiting on him. After a quick glance around the cafe, he realized she was no where to be found.

He couldn't help but smile as he realized that he now had the advantage of arriving first. This meant that he could choose the perfect table and go ahead and order her coffee so it would be waiting on her. He wanted everything to go absolutely perfect for their first public 'outing'.

After getting their drinks and sitting back down, he wondered what could be taking her so long. It wasn't like her to be late, at least not in his experience, and he was hoping she hadn't backed out. While he waited he made casual conversation with a few of his peers that happened to be there when it finally hit him. She obviously wouldn't come to the Starbucks closest to campus because too many people knew them.

'Excuse me, I really have to go.' Fitz said, abruptly ending his conversation with Millicent Vaughn. She was studying to get her PhD in Political Science and while they didn't have much in common, he didn't mind talking to her.

'Oh, wait. I thought you needed to get some studying done.' she said, standing to her feet and trying to stop him.

'Family emergency.' he lied quickly and grabbed his backpack on the way out. He quickly searched to see where the next closest Starbucks was and put it in his GPS.

After another 20 minutes of driving, Fitz was relieved to see her Camaro parked outside. He took a deep breath before glancing down at his phone and realizing that he was now 30 minutes late. He knew she'd have something to say about it so he just bucked up and prepared to face the music.

Olivia was looking down at some paperwork when he walked in but she could see him out of the corner of her eye. She had to fight the huge grin about to overcome her face when she noticed him walk her way. She was really hoping he hadn't changed his mind about meeting up with her today but she could finally breath a sigh of relief now that he was here. Pressing a hand to her stomach to calm herself down, she peered up at him through her reading glasses.

'You're late.' she said matter of factly.

'Hi. Hello. How are you?' he smirked and shook his head before sitting his bag in the seat across from her. He wasn't used to seeing her in just a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt but he was still over the moon. Her little attitude never managed to scare him away and today would be no different.

'Hi. Hello. How are you?' she said sarcastically as she watched him take his wallet out of his back pocket and grab his debit card. 'You're late.'

'Well, maybe you should give me your number and next time, I'll be able to text you when I'm running a few minutes behind.' he smiled sweetly at her.

Olivia sucked her teeth and crossed her arms across her chest. 'You sounded a bit too confident when you said "next time".'

'Oh, because I am confident.' he looked her directly in her eyes. 'I'm confident that there's going to be a next time, and a time after that, and a time after that. Did you not hear me when I said that I would be coming after what's mine?'

Her breath hitched and she shifted a little in her seat before looking away from him. He could hear her mumble something along the lines of 'I'm not yours' under her breath and he could only shake his head. If she wasn't his now, she was going to be his soon. Before walking towards the line to get their coffee, he leaned over to her and spoke lowly so only she could hear.

'You can mumble and pout all you want but I see right through that.' she still had his her head turned away from him so he nipped at her earlobe. 'One day, and one day soon, those pretty little feet of yours are going to get tired and you're going to have to stop running from me.'

Fitz went to go stand in line and get them both a coffee and Olivia found herself watching him with a slight smile. She never had time to just sit back and admire him but he was really a beautifully built man. He had a broad chest and shoulders, a nice full head of curls, and she could see his veins bulging through his muscular biceps.

When he started to make his way back to the table, she turned her attention back down to the paper she was readying. 'Thanks.' she said nonchalantly.

Fitz smiled and nodded his head and pulled some of his own work out of his bag. Once Olivia got to a stopping point in her work, she grabbed his graded essay from her stack of papers and handed it over to him

'A 'B'? Really?' Fitz scoffed as he flipped through the pages and glanced over the marks she made.

'Yes, a 'B'.' she crossed her arms, ready to defend her decision.

Not wanting to agitate her, he decided to let it go. He definitely didn't want to end their evening earlier than necessary over some petty argument. 'Alright, I agree it's not my best work. I'll take the 'B'.'

'Good. I wasn't going to change it anyway.' she shrugged her shoulders.

'You're extremely blunt.' he remarked with a smirk.

Olivia's face immediately flustered. 'Sorry. I get that a lot.' She was usually able to brush people's words off but for some reason, his opinion of her really mattered.

'Don't be sorry, I like that about you.' he smiled sincerely.

She couldn't help but blush like a school girl. It was something about Fitz that brought of her and to a certain extent, she hated it. A smile took over her face and she immediately looked down to hide it away from him. She didn't want him to know how much power he had over her.

'Look at me.' he said softly but she didn't move. 'Please?'

She shook her head but he just moved closer to the table so he could reach her. He picked her chin up. 'You have such a beautiful smile. I wish you'd stop hiding it from me.'

Olivia could feel her insides turning into mush. She was sure she'd be a pile of jelly before she left. She pulled her face away and took a deep breath then turned her attention back to the papers in front of her.

He chuckled but decided to let her concentrate on her work for a little while. After about an hour, his stomach began to rumble and he knew he needed to get some food in him. 'I'm going to go and get a bagel. Want something?'

She reached in her purse and grabbed her debit card and handed it to him. 'A cheese danish, please.' when he pushed her hand away she rolled her eyes. 'This isn't a date so therefore I'm going to pitch in.'

He sighed but took the card and went to go stand in line to get their food. _Of course I had to fall for the most stubborn woman in all of America_. Fitz couldn't help but to laugh at himself as he ordered their snacks. As soon as he got them, he returned to the table.

'So, will you tell me a little about yourself?' he handed her the pouch with the danish in it and her debit card. He didn't use it but she obviously didn't notice.

'What do you want to know?' she asked as she ripped a small piece off of her pastry and put it in her mouth.

'Everything.' he grinned. 'But let's start with colleges.'

'Well, I got my undergraduate at Alexander which is an HBCU in Mississippi, then I studied at Yale, and I received my PhD at Oxford.'

'Where are you from?'

'Born in Texas, moved to Alabama, lived in Louisiana, but raised in Mississippi. I've basically lived everywhere in the south.'

'Impossible. Where is your outrageous Southern accent?' he teased.

She smirked and swallowed some air and said in an over exaggerated twang. 'Is this better? Am I southern enough now?'

'Say something else.' he pressed with a grin.

'Um.' she thought for a moment. 'My daddy told me I was the prettiest little thing this side of the Mason-Dixie line.'

He laughed and she rolled her eyes and sipped her drink again. 'Why did you move around so much?'

'I was a military brat.' her shoulders shrugged as she took another bite of her danish. 'If my parents moved, then I moved. What about you?'

'Born and raised in California. Got my undergraduate at Stafford, went to the Navy for the while, then got my masters at Yale, and now I'm here.'

'They let somebody like you into Yale?' the right side of her lip turned up into a playful smirk.

'I could ask you the same thing.' he crossed his arms.

'They were lucky to have me.' she said, her voice full of confidence.

Fitz sat back in his seat and studied her for a moment before speaking. He looked her up and down, making her grow self conscious under his gaze. 'You're right. They were.'

'Stop doing that.' she mumbled and readjusted herself in her seat.

'Stop doing what?' he asked, amused at how nervous she was getting. In all honesty while Fitz seemed to be dripping with nothing but confidence and sex appeal, being around her made him a little uneasy. He had been with other women before but Olivia was a whole new ballgame.

'You know what. Stop it.' she rubbed the back of her neck shyly.

'Oh, you mean flirting with you.' he chuckled. 'No.'

Realizing she wouldn't be able to get any work done, she put her papers away and just talked to him. He didn't want to pry too much into her personal life so he moved the subject over to a poem he had been reading. In normal Olivia fashion, she disagreed with him. She listened to his point of view but basically disregarded it completely.

'You are literally the most stubborn woman on this planet.'

'I doubt it.' she crossed her arms again. He was about to say something when her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at him apologetically.

'Give me a minute.'

He smiled and nodded his head and grabbed her empty cup to get them refills, when he returned, she was still on the phone.

'What do you want me to do, Lucas? I can't exactly just drive there.' she grabbed the coffee and pushed a straw through the small opening. Fitz's eyebrows slightly furrowed as he sipped his coffee and tried to hear what the man was saying on the other end.

'I'll call you back later and we'll talk about it. I'm busy right now.' she frowned as she pushed her straw around in her cup.

'Lucas.' she said in a slightly scolding tone. 'I said I'll talk to you about it later. Goodbye.' she hung up and pushed her phone away then looked back to Fitz who's gentle smile helped her calm herself down.

'Boyfriend giving you problems?' he teased.

'I wish. Brother problems.' her eyes rolled.

'Is this the same one who owns the car dealership?' he asked curiously.

She smiled warmly, surprised he remembered the small detail. 'The same one.'

'How many siblings do you have?'

'I have 4 brothers. Lucas is the oldest, then me, then Aiden, then Mason and last is Jonah.' she got a text and turned her attention to her phone. 'Do you have any siblings?'

'I have an older brother named Peter and a younger sister named Breanne. So do you get along with your brothers?' he asked cautiously, watching as her body language became slightly defensive again.

'We all get along great. Lucas just feels like the boss of everyone since he's the oldest.' her eyes rolled and she pushed her phone over to him, showing photo of the 5 of them together. While Olivia was short and petite, her brothers were tall and very muscular. They were all wearing black and gold New Orleans Saints jerseys and dark jeans.

'Do you get to see them often?' he couldn't help but admire the contented smile on her face as she laid across her brother's laps in the picture.

'Not really.' she said simply. 'What about your brother and sister?'

'We get together for major holidays.' he showed her a picture of him with his siblings.

'Your brother is pretty cute.' she sheepishly teased and he laughed.

'So you mean that I've been busting my ass for a smile but it's Peter that you like?'

'I never said I didn't like you.' she said lowly, now looking down in her lap.

'You're hiding from me again.' he reached across the table but she lifted her head by herself so he could see her. Her lips were curled up into a smile.

Fitz watched as her eyebrows furrowed and she quickly stood up from her seat. She grabbed her phone and bag and made her way out of the back door.

'Where are you going?' he asked, now extremely confused.

Before he could get up and follow, he felt a hand on top of his shoulder. Fitz cautiously looked up and found himself staring back at the chair of the English department, Cyrus Beene. He swallowed hard as he searched for the correct words to say.

'Dr. Beene.' he said, his voice nearly cracking. 'How are you today?'

'I'm well, Mr. Grant. I was just passing through to grab a cup of coffee when I saw you over here and I wanted to speak.' he smiled. 'Here by yourself? I'm sure you have a lot of studying to do.'

Fitz almost sighed with relief. Obviously Olivia had gotten out before Cyrus saw her but that was definitely a close call. 'Yes, but I was just getting ready to leave. I've been here since 10:45 and it's almost 5 now.'

'My, my, you've really been working hard. I guess the rumor about you political kids never wanting to put in any effort was wrong.' he laughed and Fitz forced himself to join along while he gathered his things.

He had to see Olivia and talk to her. Fitz was sure that wherever she ran off to she was probably scared to death and he wanted to be there to assure her that nothing bad was going to happen. They would have to start being more careful after today but that was an issue for another time.

'Good one, Dr. Beene.' he said, flattering the man. 'I'll see you around.' Fitz stood up from his seat and grabbed his backpack and headed out of the same door Olivia did just moments before.

The back of the Starbucks served as extra seating. There were tables with green umbrellas towering over them to keep the customers protected from the elements. He found her near the back, nervously fidgeting with her hands and looking down at her knees as she sat.

Fitz approached the table slowly. He knew if he said something dumb or made a wrong move that she'd be ready to run again so he had to be gentle. 'Hi.'

'Is he gone?' she asked softly, still not meeting his gaze.

'Yes, he's gone.' he nodded his head in confirmation. He could faintly see Cyrus' Lexus driving out of the Starbucks parking lot .

Olivia took a deep breath and stood to her feet. She had her bag across her shoulder as if she was getting ready to leave. 'Fitz, we cant do this. This is way too risky and—'

Fitz sucked his teeth and shook his head. 'I can't just stop. I cant just quit. I cant just let you go, Olivia.' he said, reaching to take both of her hands in his. He stood a step towards her, ensuring she couldn't run away from him.

'I'm serious!' she hissed. 'We have way too much at stake here! Do you know what they'd do to us if they even thought we had something going on?'

'I already told you,' he said, his voice calm. 'I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you. Let me take care of us. I want you to trust me.'

'Trust me he says.' she laughed humorlessly and turned her head away from him.

'Yes.' he held both of her wrists in one hand, freeing up his other one to turn her face back towards him. 'So today was a risk, and I get that, but didn't you have a good time? Dr. Beene couldn't persecute us for having coffee even if he tried.'

Olivia was looking up at him with her wide doe eyes and it nearly brought him to his knees because he could see them start to water. The last thing he wanted do was cause her any pain and he seriously contemplated just giving her up. He only had 2 more semesters left in school so he knew he could fully pursue her after that.

Before Fitz could open his mouth to say another word, Olivia broke her wrists free from his grasp and took hold of his face. She brought him down to her lips in an aggressive kiss. Fitz was momentarily in shock but he quickly recovered from that. His cute little prey was finally playing predator.

'I.. I don't know how to give you up.' she whimpered her admission against his lips before taking them again.

As much as Fitz was enjoying this, he knew he needed to put a stop to it. While the 5'clock crowd at Starbucks was scarce, he definitely didn't want any accidents to happen. He took hold of her waist and put some space in between them.

'We need to get out of here.' he said firmly. 'Let me cook dinner for us and we can talk.'

She bit down on her bottom lip before nodding her head in confirmation. Olivia grabbed her keys from the back pocket of her jeans and let him lead the way to the front parking lot. One thing for certain was that there was no going back now.

* * *

 _ **So, that's chapter 3. To calm some nerves, I don't plan on them getting caught any time soon. It was a close call with Cyrus this chapter but that showed them both that they need to be more careful. I was going to make this chapter a little longer but I decided to keep this story at no more than 5,000 words per chapter so I cut off the next scene. Anyway, enjoy and review!**_


	4. Adjustments

Olivia followed behind Fitz cautiously. She knew her tinted windows protected her from anyone's view but she didn't want to take anymore unnecessary risks. She was extremely grateful that they seemed to be driving in a direction away from the school and into the suburbs. After a 15 minute trip, which seemed like an hour of her nervously checking her surroundings, they pulled into Fitz's brownstone. His garage was settled in the back so they both parked there.

Fitz made hurried strides to her vehicle and opened her car door for her. She smiled softly before taking his offered hand as he helped her get out of her seat. After letting the garage down, they went inside and he locked the door behind them. He could tell she was still feeling a little uneasy from earlier but he wanted to help calm her nerves. She had her back towards him as she took in her surroundings so he approached her slowly.

Gently, so not to startle her, he wrapped his strong arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. He could feel her body melt into his as she moved her hands to rest on top of his. She let out a small, breathless giggle before turning her head slightly so that she could face him.

'Hi.'

'Hi.' he returned, his smile sincere but confident. 'I'll get some food started. Why don't you make yourself at home? I can take your jacket.'

Olivia nodded her head and let it slip off her shoulders while he pulled it the rest of the way down her arms. He took it over to a coat rack he had sitting in the corner and hung it up before going to the kitchen. She followed behind him and sat at the island while watching him move around.

'What's for dinner?' she asked in an attempt to make small talk. She knew that they had some major things to discuss but couldn't bear to bring it up right now. She was enjoying the easy flow of their conversation and she didn't want it to end just yet.

It was so much easier to just sit and pretend that they were just two people who wanted each other and they were on their first date and he was making them dinner.

'I was thinking chicken parmesan.' he said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure she approved. When she nodded her head, he grabbed some ingredients from his cabinets. 'My old Navy buddy, Richard, taught me his mother's secret recipe one day.'

'Mmhhmm.' she hummed, prompting him to continue. She could feel that there was a story behind this.

'We were behind enemy lines in some disgusting cave and we all thought we were going to die.' he chuckled humorlessly and shook his head at the memory. 'So we hid. We had to have been there for hours because the sun had gone down and we were all just talking to pass the time and lighten the mood. He told us that if he ever got back to civilization that he wanted to taste his mom's chicken parmesan again. Apparently, it's a recipe that's been passed down in his family for 300 years and he didn't mind telling us since we were all going to die anyway.'

'And where is Richard now?' she asked curiously.

'Alive and well and regretting that he told us his mother's secret recipe.' he winked at her.

Olivia laughed softly and stood up from the island and walked over to stove where he was standing. He was starting to boil the water for the pasta and she was very thankful. She hadn't realized she was hungry until he started cooking.

'I can help you do something.' she offered. 'I mean, as long as you don't think Richard would mind sharing his mother's recipe with one more person.'

Fitz gave her a lopsided grin before nodding his head. He hadn't planned on accepting any help but there was something so satisfyingly domestic about them cooking together that he couldn't resist. 'I wont tell if you don't tell.'

Olivia smiled brightly and rolled up the sleeves of her charcoal gray henley t-shirt and went to wash her hands. There was a silent agreement to hold their talk for later and they made casual conversation to get to know each other while they cooked. It was almost eery how well they worked together. Fitz was so used to being alone in his kitchen that he would occasionally bump elbows with her but he was only met with a small giggle or glance from Olivia.

'Any kids?' she asked casually as she worked on breading the chicken.

'Nope.' he said, shaking his head. 'You?'

'Four, actually.' she said matter of factly.

Fitz glanced over at her, a look of disbelief plastered on his face. Olivia shot him a challenging glare before laughing. 'Kidding, kidding. No kids.'

He snorted and shook his head at her silliness. She was finally coming out of that little shell she had put herself in and he was rather enjoying it. 'Ever been married?'

Her breath hitched slightly but she decided to face this head on. 'Full disclosure?'

'Full disclosure.' he nodded his head in confirmation but stopped mincing the vegetables so that he could actually give her his full attention.

'Engaged once but obviously that ended.' her head shook.

Fitz could tell that there was definitely more to that story but he decided not to push it. She'd open up about it in her own time and he didn't want to rush her. 'Somebody wanted you?' he asked, his tone mocking.

'I'll have you know I'm quite the catch.' she said matter of factly before bumping her hip with his.

' _Don't I know it_.' he mumbled under his breath before going back to his task.

'So, what do your parents do?' she asked, continuing their little game. She was rather enjoying it.

'Well, my father is a politician and my mom stayed at home to take care of the kids while we were younger but now she's into some charity work.' his shoulders shrugged.

'Why didn't you go into politics? Why literature?'

'Politics is so dirty.' his nose crinkled at the thought. 'Literature is interesting and its deep and I feel like I discover something new whenever I pick something up. My brother, Peter, is running for senator in Iowa, though. What about yours?'

'Daddy was in the military and mama was a nurse.' she said, her tone revealing her obvious fondness of them. She got quiet for a moment and Fitz realized that she said referred to her parents in the past tense.

'What happened to them?' he asked, his voice soft.

'They died in a fire a few years ago.' she sighed and shook her head. 'I was a sophomore in college and it was hard at first but I had a great support system.' she gave him a little smile.

Olivia spent years and years of crying and mourning over her parents death but it had definitely gotten easier as time progressed. Not wanting to put a damper on their mood, she decided to quickly change the subject.

'So if you had to go back and choose another career choice, what would it be?'

'Hmm.' he hummed as he thought about his answer. 'I think I'd be a chef. I really enjoy cooking and I could see myself working for some fancy restaurant out in Los Angeles or something. What about you?'

'I'd be a dancer.' she said, answering with no hesitation.

Fitz raised his eyebrows, assuming this was another joke. 'You dance?'

'You seem surprised.' she simpered.

'You just don't strike me as a dancer. You're a very serious person and I just— I just cant see it.' he ran his fingers through his hair.

'I'll have you know I danced my way to a full scholarship in college.'

'I still need proof. And what type of dance? Like, ballet? I could kind of see you doing ballet.'

'I was a majorette.' she said matter of factly and scoffed at the look of disbelief on his face. 'I also teach a pole dancing class down at the studio a few blocks away from campus.'

He could feel his cock twitch in his pants as he envisioned Olivia on a pole. 'You're definitely full of surprises, Dr. Pope.'

 **...**

After they were finished, they moved to his living room to eat. Olivia didn't know exactly what to expect when she looked around his house but it seemed like it really fit him. There was a couch and a television with a coffee table in between but scattered all around the living room was books. They looked older so she had to assume that they were classics but they were just in stacks.

While Olivia sat in the living room, Fitz poured them both a glass of red wine and set it down on the table in front of them. He purposely sat close enough to her so that their thighs touched but she scooted away from him. Accepting the challenge, he readjusted himself so that he could be closer.

'What are you doing?' she laughed as he wrapped his arm around her. 'Stop it.'

'I want to sit close to you.' he huffed petulantly as she pushed herself out of his reach again. 'You stop it.'

'You're being ridiculous.' she smirked and shook her head as he started laying kisses on the side of her face. This time she was trapped between his body and the arm of the couch so she let him have his way.

'Let's just sit here and have a nice dinner, okay? We won't think about all the problems we're having right now or the problems we may have coming up.' he took both of her hands in his and made sure she was looking him in the eyes. 'It's just you and me in here. We're safe.'

Olivia cautiously nodded her head before kissing him. She wasn't used to being the aggressor in relationships but it was just something in Fitz that drew her to him. Fitz gently cupped the side of her face, holding her still while he took his opportunity to taste the inside of her mouth. He teased her tongue in a way that made her titter against his lips and he had to hold her still to keep her from pulling away from him.

Realizing that their dinner was going to get cold, they broke apart long enough to eat. Olivia settled herself into his side and he kept his arm wrapped tightly around her while they ate.

'I like this.' she said as she looked up to him, smiling.

'You like what?'

'This.' she motioned between the two of them. 'Eating dinner together and talking and just.. Being together.' she let out a contented sigh.

'I like this too.' he nodded his head. 'I like you being here with me. I like you being open and showing me what you're really like.' he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Her eyes involuntarily shut as his lips pressed against her skin. It was small but intimate gesture that she loved. It took all these years to figure out that there was no place she'd rather be than in his arms, accepting all of his affection.

When Fitz finally did pull away, he took time to study her face. He took her plump lips that he couldn't stop kissing, her soft skin, her high cheekbones, and her now furrowed brow. Obviously, he had won the lottery. He moved one hand up to cup her cheek, his thumb softly caressing the skin there.

'You are so beautiful.' he said with conviction, making her blush.

'Stop.' she chastised shyly and turned her head to try and look away from him.

'Let me see you. Stop hiding from me.' he held her in place before laying soft kisses on her lips.

After their dinner and wine was finished and they shared a few more kisses, the pair broke apart on two separate sides of the couch. Neither of them knew how to begin the conversation, let alone what to say, so there a few moments of awkward silence before Olivia decided that she'd start.

'We need to be more careful.' she said sadly but firmly. 'We've had 2 close calls already and I really don't want anything bad to happen over a few stolen moments in the hallway.'

Fitz nodded his head. 'I agree with you. I want to do whatever makes you comfortable.' he said, putting the ball in her court. 'You are my absolute priority.'

Olivia smiled at that. She liked how his first priority was making sure that she felt good about their situation. She _liked_ being his priority. 'That means no more interaction at school. No more after class meet ups, no more Starbucks dates—'

'Wait, that was a date?' he grinned widely. 'Our first date?'

'Focus.' she admonished, laughing. 'I'm serious. We have to be more careful.'

'I get it, I get it.' he grunted. He didn't really like the sound of this plan but he knew it was in the best interest of both of them. 'I just.. It's going to be difficult. Do you know how hard it is for me to keep my hands off you?' he asked, eyebrows now raised.

Olivia bit down on her bottom lip. She liked feeling wanted by him. 'Try harder.'

'Well, when exactly am I allowed to see you and kiss you and touch you then?'

'I don't know.' she sighed. 'On the weekends and nights after class I suppose. This isn't really something I'm used to. I've never been the type to break the rules. I've always been the good girl.'

'Doesn't it feel good to be bad sometimes?' he asked with a sly grin as he began slowly scooting closer to her.

'This doesn't feel bad. Being with you doesn't feel bad.' she mumbled, watching him eliminate the space in between them.

'Relationships aren't always so black and white like they're supposed to be. I think we fall perfectly in the gray area.' he smiled before leaning in closer to her, their thighs now pressed together.

'I.. I think we have more things to talk about. Is there something you want to say?' she muttered. She knew once his lips were on hers, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on the task at hand.

'Later.. We'll talk later.' he assured.

'I think we should talk before we—'

Fitz cut her off with a searing kiss. Whatever went unsaid now could definitely wait. She wanted to resist so that they could finish their conversation but he was making it impossible. How could she concentrate on anything when he was wrapping his arm around her so that she could mold herself perfectly into the creases of his body? How could she remember anything while his hot tongue was teasing the inside of her mouth, knowing it would make her tremble? How could she focus as his nimble fingers began ghosting over her skin?

Fitz moved his hand to rest on her on her taut stomach, enjoying the way it quivered under his touch. His hand traveled lower until he reached her inner thigh and he lightly caressed the space there. Her legs immediately fell apart for him and he chuckled at her readiness. Olivia whimpered and her body clenched as he got closer to the juncture between her legs.

Her jaw slowly dropped as Fitz finally reached his destination and cupped her sex through her skinny jeans. She squeaked softly but a smile took over her face as he gently massaged her pussy. Olivia's legs clenched together trying to add to friction but he held them apart with his free hand.

Feeling in the moment, she caught his bottom lip in between her teeth and bit down on it. He was expecting a gentle nibble but she was obviously full of surprises. She used her tongue to lightly lick the sting away from her aggressive bite then let out a low growl.

Fitz smirked and pinched her inner thigh as a warning to behave herself. 'Come here, tiger.'

She smiled and shifted herself so that she could sit comfortably in his lap, now straddling his muscular thighs. He wrapped his arms around her petite waist, holding her close to his body as the crotch of his pants began to tighten. He lightly caressed her back through her thin shirt as he began kissing down her jawline and to her neck.

Olivia let out a breathless giggle as he neared the soft skin directly behind her ear and she ran her fingers through the soft curls on his scalp. His hands began to slowly drift to her lower back and then down to her ass, cupping both her cheeks in his large hands. She lightly licked the lobe of his ear before taking it into her mouth and gently nibbling on it.

He pushed his body weight against her and turned them so that she could lay flat back on the couch and he hovered above her. He showered her cheeks and chin with affectionate kisses before moving to take her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him in place while his tongue explored the inside of her mouth.

Fitz's erection was becoming painfully stiff in his pants as their kisses became more passionate. Her legs were parted and hitched on either side of his thighs, allowing him to settle himself against her. He ground his hips into her heat, letting her feel exactly what she was doing to him.

Olivia's breath hitched and her body tensed as his cock pressed into the seat of her pants. Feeling the tension, he immediately pulled away and studied her face. Her cheeks had flustered and her eyebrows were furrowed as if she had something on her mind. Fitz sat up and balanced himself on his knees, not wanting her to feel suffocated as he hovered above her.

'Are you okay?' he asked, gently stroking her thighs. 'I'm sorry.'

'No, no.' her head shook and she sat up. 'Don't be sorry. I just— I just don't want you to think that this is just about sex. We're just moving really fast.' she bit down on her bottom lip.

'Olivia.' he said softly as he moved to caress her cheek and push a stray hair from her face. 'I want every part of you, but only when you're ready. We won't do anything until you're ready.'

'I'm sorry. I know I'm just being crazy and—'

'Hey, hey.' he cupped both of her cheeks and gently pressed his lips to hers. 'You're not being crazy. I agree you. We should slow down a little. We both have a lot at stake here and we don't need to make any mistakes.'

A small smile crept up on her lips and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. 'Thank you.'

'You don't have to thank me for anything I want to do for you. I want you to be happy and comfortable, alright?' she nodded and he kissed her forehead. 'Why don't I grab some ice cream from the freezer and I can turn on a movie or maybe we can read a few of Shakespeare's sonnets? I've been going over them again.' he suggested, gesturing over to an older looking red book on his shelf.

'Okay.' she smiled and nodded her head then watched as he stood to walk to the kitchen. The tent in his pants let her know that he was still hard and she kind of felt bad for stopping them so abruptly but she knew it was for the best. Sex could put complications on any relationship and they _definitely_ didn't need anymore complications right now.

While Fitz made their ice-cream and calmed himself down, she curiously looked over his large book collection. When he returned with 2 bowels, she was running her fingers over his copy of The Divine Comedy by Dante. He put their dessert on the coffee table then walked over to where she was standing.

'I think I've read that whole book 20 times since I was a teenager.' he said, watching her fingers nimbly turn through the pages and looking at notes he had made in the margins.

'I can tell. You don't take very good care of it.' she pointed to where he had dogeared a page instead of using a bookmark. 'Remind me to never let you borrow any of my books.'

'You're probably the E-Reader type anyway.' he teased and playfully poked her ribs, making her giggle.

'I'm not. I prefer hardcovers.' she huffed and shut the book and studied the cover. 'This book looks older than you.'

'It is.' he confirmed, nodding his head. 'My grandfather used to read it to me when I was younger and I got after he passed away. I know about 80% of the book by heart.' he said, his tone cocky.

'In English or in the original Italian as Dante Alighieri would have preferred?' her eyebrow cocked.

'In English, of course.'

'Well, then I'm not impressed.' she put the book down back on the stack where she got it from.

Fitz chuckled. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of her brass tone. He could probably climb Mount Everest and she probably wouldn't even offer him a high five. 'I'm starting to think that it's impossible to impress you.'

'I'm actually easy to impress. You just don't impress me.' she shot him a challenging look. As brutal as she seemed, she loved their banter. Most people couldn't handle half of the things that came out of her mouth but Fitz rolled with the punches just fine.

He raised his eyebrows and folded his arms across his chest. 'Nothing I've done has impressed you at all?'

'Nothing.' she shook her head and fought back the smile about to take over her lips. Pushing his buttons was her new favorite thing to do. 'I actually find your literary skills quite lacking.'

'Oh really?' he took a step closer to her then grabbed her forearms, holding them against his chest. 'That's a very bold statement for you to make.'

'Bold, but the truth.' she said matter of factly.

'You're harsh, princess.' he said, feigning hurt. 'I'm going to break you out of that, though.' he lightly kissed her nose, not wanting to get worked up again.

Olivia smiled as his lips pressed against the bridge of her nose and lingered there. Consequences be damned, Fitzgerald Grant was hers.

* * *

For the next week, Olivia had been completely on Cloud 9. She was still the firm, hard-ass Dr. Pope in class but as soon as it ended, she became his Livvie, his princess, his baby, his sweetheart, or his whatever else he chose to call her. They hadn't made another step towards intimacy but she was starting to feel more and more comfortable just being around him.

Because of the string of burglaries around campus, they didn't spend any time together after class was over because it was too dark out. Olivia stayed in the proximity of the attacks and Fitz didn't want her walking in and out of her building alone late at night and she didn't want him to get caught in the area after hours.

This limited their alone time to before class and although his class schedule was busy with classes, he always put aside time to see her. They would meet in the next town over and have lunch or she would come over to his place and cuddle on the couch and watch television.

Fitz and some more of his Navy buddies were having a small reunion in Bury Saint Edmunds this weekend which meant that he was leaving Saturday morning and that she couldn't go. All of his other friends were bringing their wives and girlfriends but it was way too risky for her to come along, especially since Jake would be there. As much as he wanted to show her off to his old buddies, they would have to wait for another time.

Olivia sat down on top of his bed, her bottom lip involuntarily poked out. She wasn't the type to pout, she had _never_ been the type to pout, but she just couldn't help herself tonight. She had fallen into a comfortable schedule with Fitz and it felt weird for him to be gone. It also kind of hurt that she wouldn't be able to attend his reunion with him. Being in a secret relationship definitely had its disadvantages.

Fitz was walking around the room, grabbing articles of clothing for the weekend. He hadn't had time to pack but he and Jake were leaving early the next morning. The trip wouldn't be long, no more than hour, but they had a whole day planned. They only got together once or twice a year but even that didn't seem like enough. The small group of men were more like close brothers than friends at this point.

He rolled up one of his Navy t-shirts and put it in the suitcase that was sitting on the bed next to her. He had been in such a rush, he hadn't even noticed her facial expression. 'Olivia, can you hand me that notebook beside you?' he outstretched his hand.

She huffed but grabbed it and held it out to him, snatching her hand back once he took it. Fitz cocked an eyebrow at her attitude then finally looked up at her. He grinned widely as he noticed she was sitting on her knees with her arms folded against her chest and she was looking away from him. His stone cold Olivia was actually pouting.

'Are you pouting right now?' he asked, moving his suitcase aside so that he could crawl in bed next her.

'No.' she quickly defended herself. 'I don't pout.'

'Yes, you do.' he nearly laughed. 'You're pouting. What's wrong?'

'Nothings wrong and I'm not pouting.' she scooted away from him.

'I know exactly what's wrong.' he pulled her back to him, wrapping her in his strong embrace and not letting her move. He set her in between his stretched legs as her body naturally molded against his in all the right places. 'You're going to miss me. My princess is actually going to miss me.'

'No, I'm not!' she grunted, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she'd probably go stir crazy without him. She squirmed for a few moments but quickly gave up. She knew she wasn't going to be able to get away so there was really no need in trying at this point.

'Alright, so since you aren't going to miss me then maybe I'll stay until Monday morning instead.' he gingerly teased as her breath hitched. 'So I guess we'll have to cancel our breakfast in Boston for that morning and I'll just see you in class at night.'

Olivia rested her head on his shoulder, her bottom lip still poked out. 'I'm going to miss you.' she mumbled. 'I want to go with you.'

'I want you to come with me.' he soothed, placing kisses on her mouth and cheek. 'But next year we're going to be in such a better place. I can't wait for you to meet everyone.'

She sighed. 'Is it bad that I don't want you to go? I want you to stay here with me.'

'Actually, I think I'd much rather be with you this weekend so that's not bad.' he smiled sincerely. 'But they'd all come drag me out of the house if I don't go willingly.'

'I could fight them off.' she teased, a small smile now playing on her lips.

He laughed. He couldn't help but envision his little Livvie trying to ward off 14 grown men in an attempt to defend him. 'Let's not try that.'

'I should've assigned more homework for the weekend to make you stay.' she huffed.

'Be nice.' he slightly chastised. 'I'm going to tell them all about you this weekend.'

'Ya?' her ears slightly perked. 'What are you going to tell them?'

'I'm going to tell them all that I've found the absolute perfect woman for me.' he said, matter of factly. 'I'm going to tell them that you're pretty, and smart, and you can cook but they had better watch out because you're extremely feisty.'

She sighed contently wrapped her arms around his body as best she could. It was starting to get dark outside and she knew she needed to leave soon but she really wanted to cherish the next hour or so that they had together. Of course it was extremely irrational to miss him this much before he even left, especially since he'd only be gone for the weekend, but she couldn't help herself.

* * *

 _ **Okay first let me thank you all for reading. It means the world to hear your feedback on the story and interacting with you guys. I don't get paid to do this (I wish) and my main motivation is hearing back from you. Yes, you. Know that you are greatly appreciated :) But, can I keep it real with you all? I'm not making you read this. It's alright if you don't like it. I don't usually get nasty messages about my stories but I got one the other day that was a little rude. I ignored it and kept going with my life but I did want to throw this in.**_

 _ **Anyway :) So this is chapter 4. I'm actually having a lot of fun writing this. Their relationship dynamic is very interesting to me and I like exploring it. The original rough draft of this was only about 20,000 words but obviously we're going to exceed that.**_

 _ **Next chapter we're going to find out what happens when Olivia tells her brothers about their relationship and they deal with the complications from that. Knights Ferry intermission chapter is almost finished but I've been a bit busy with school. I think sometime later this week.**_

 _ **Again, thank you all for reading and reviewing and nudging me along this process. These stories wouldn't be where they are if it wasn't for you! Until next time!**_


	5. No Place I'd Rather Be

Fitz was sitting in the back of Jake's car, now wishing he had driven by himself for the reunion. It wasn't that he had a problem with Jake, he just a problem with playing the 3rd wheel. In the front seat on the passenger's side was Pamela "Pam" Winster, Jake's long time girlfriend. She stood around 5'9 with strawberry blonde hair that she never let grow past her shoulders. She had always been the artsy type, which was the exact opposite of Jake's no nonsense demeanor, but she kept him wrapped around her pinky finger.

Jake had met her one night at the bar where she was waiting tables and the two had been inseparable ever since. He had plans on proposing this year after graduation even though Pam had claimed to not be 'marriage material'. Fitz had always liked her but watching them hold hands on the front seat was making him want to absolutely vomit. It was hard enough that he couldn't be with Olivia this weekend but what made it even worse was watching them play the happiest couple on earth right in his face.

It was 5am and he knew it was way too early to text Olivia but that didn't stop his thumb from typing, deleting,and retyping his message to her 1,000 times. He wanted to tell her about the horrible time he was having, and how much he missed her, and how much she wished she was there, but he knew he needed to restrain himself. She had papers to read and she had to teach two classes at the studio today and he didn't want to risk accidentally waking her up with a notification. Besides, they had only been separated for a few hours and it was way too soon to be sending any clingy text messages.

He glanced up at Jake and Pam again, only to find her kissing the palm of his free hand lovingly as he drove with his left one. He let out a small sigh before pulling Olivia's name up once more but actually sending the message this time.

 **'I miss you so fucking much.'**

* * *

'Ow! Ow! Abbey, what the fuck?' Olivia screamed, trying to shield her body away from the blows of the pillow Abbey was hitting her with. She had spent the night last night but they both needed to get up soon and grade some papers and get their days started.

'You bitch!' she squealed loudly, still hitting her. 'Who is "Hercules" and why does he "miss you so fucking much"?'

'You read my text messages?' she quickly grabbed the pillow, trying to get a grip on herself. She was still just waking up and needed a moment to catch up with what was going on. She threw the pillow to the side then sat up in her bed.

'Answer the question, short stack!' she shot her a pointed look. 'Who is he?'

Olivia huffed and ran her fingers through her hair. She wasn't prepared to tell Abbey about her relationship with Fitz just yet. It was way too fragile to be put under any type of scrutiny although she was sure she'd be nothing but supportive. 'He's my new boyfriend.'

Abbey's eyes lit up. 'Boyfriend? As in an official boyfriend?' she squealed loudly.

'Yes, an official boyfriend.' she chuckled and shook her head.

They had both decided that it would be best if they had fake names for each other in their phones to make sure they didn't get caught. Fitz had earned the nickname after she watched him workout in his home gym in the basement of his brownstone. He was extremely devoted to staying in shape and she had to admit that she was getting a little hot and bothered just by observing him.

It had taken forever for them to agree on a name for her to go by. While he wanted to keep with the theme of ancient mythology, she had refused every notable female character. They were either too 'ornamental' or too crazy for her taste. Knowing he would never win a debate with Olivia Pope about anything, he handed his phone over and let her pick her own name.

'Details, details, details!' she demanded, hopping in bed beside her excitedly.

'There's not much to say.' she smirked. 'We've been seeing each other everyday for the past week or so it's really been going good. He had to go on a little retreat for the weekend and it's the first time in 7 days that we won't spend time together.'

'Ew, you guys are in that clingy, honeymoon stage.' her nose crinkled. 'Have you told your brothers about him yet? What do they think?'

Olivia sighed. 'I told Aiden who I'm sure told Mason who I'm sure told Jonah but I haven't told Lucas, yet. I'm not in the mood to hear his mouth about it. Fitz makes me happy and I just kinda want to stay in this happy little bubble with him right now.'

'Well, I am happy for you.' she said with conviction. 'And if you need me to keep lookout while you sneak behind the bleachers to make out with your secret mystery boyfriend then I'll be happy to do it.'

'Shut up, Abigail.' she laughed and smacked Abbey with a pillow before snatching her phone off of the bed to respond to Fitz's message.

* * *

Fitz's ears perked up when his phone beeped in his back pocket. They were all sitting around eating breakfast outside at some picnic tables and catching up with one another before hitting up one of the hiking trails in the area. It was going to be a race to see who could make it to the top first with the winner taking home nothing but a few pats on the back and bragging rights but it was a great tradition.

One of his friends, Edmund, owned a cabin in the area that they stayed in whenever they met up. There were small bedrooms scattered across the house with just enough space to accommodate the 14 men plus their guests. As usual, Fitz was the only person to come alone and they had been laying in on him about it since he arrived. In the past he was able to just brush their comments off but it was kind of agitating him today.

They had always told him that he was too 'picky' when it came down to dating but he never saw it that way. He just knew exactly what he wanted in a woman and if she didn't have it, then he didn't pursue it. Olivia caught his eye from the moment she walked in the classroom and he knew she was going to be his. She is who he wanted and he would accept nothing less.

Edmund's wife, with the help of the other women, had made a meal big enough to feed a small army. They wouldn't be accompanying them on the hike this morning but they always made sure that the men had enough to eat before their activities. He couldn't help but smile when he tried to imagine Olivia interacting with the other men's wives and probably pissing them off because of her smart mouth and feisty attitude. They couldn't handle her even if they tried.

 **'You've been gone for an hour. Stop bothering me.'** \- Alex

He chuckled and shook his head when he read the message. Olivia had all but cried when they had to part ways last night so she definitely wasn't fooling him with her little tough guy act this morning. He wished he was back in Cambridge so that he could kiss her senseless and make her moan out a string of apologies for her rudeness but that'd have to wait. Fitz was no longer participating in the conversation around him, his attention now on his phone.

 **'Ouch. You're being mean this morning. What's wrong, princess?'** \- Hercules

 **'I miss you :(.'** \- Alex

He couldn't help but grin like an idiot when he read her message. Before he could send a response, he felt something hit him on the back of the head. He was positive it was somebody's hand and he quickly stood to defend himself.

'Earth to Fitz!' Jake yelled as everyone in the group started laughing at him. 'We've been trying to talk to you but you've been too busy looking at your phone and smiling to pay attention.'

'And who are you texting, anyway?' Pam asked curiously. They had been trying to hook Fitz up with different women for the past few years but he always shot them down. She had almost given up hope but the goofy grin on his face let her know that he was definitely interested in somebody.

'Nobody.' his head shook and he sat back down. 'Just a friend of mine.'

'A female friend?' Edmund's wife asked excitedly, her whole body now perked up at the thought of Fitz finally finding somebody that he liked.

'Just a friend.' he rolled his eyes as everybody's attention seemed to be on him now.

'Jake, you're with Fitz everyday. Does he have a girlfriend?' Richard asked.

Jake held his hands up in the air. 'Don't ask me. This is the first I'm hearing of this myself. He hasn't mentioned anything to me.'

'Can we drop this?' Fitz asked, interrupting their conversation. His face had turned a little red, slightly embarrassed that he and his relationship was the current topic of discussion. 'When the time is right then I'll talk about my friend.'

'What's she look like? Is she in one of our classes?' Jake's head cocked to the side as he tried to picture the women in their classes and who Fitz might have been attracted to. 'Is it Mellie? She's been eyeing you for a while.'

Fitz sighed. 'Just know that she's pretty and smart and that she makes me happy. But don't get on her bad side because she has this strange talent of breaking people down and degrading them using only her words.' his tone became serious at the last part.

'I knew you liked them feisty!' Richard grinned as he planted hard pats on his back. 'What's her name? How'd you meet her?'

'That's enough questions for today.' his head shook his head and put his phone away in his pocket. He would have to respond to her message once they were separated on the trail and nobody was watching his every move.

'Alright, alright.' Edmund conceded. He was always the most levelheaded of the group and could see that they were irritating him with questions. 'We'll change the subject. You guys are almost finished at Harvard. How's that going?'

Fitz opened his mouth to speak but Jake beat him to it. 'Things have been great until we got transferred to this new teacher's class this semester. Dr. Olivia Pope.' his eyes rolled. 'She comes into the room every night with the meanest scowl on her face. Her grading scale is straight from hell and its like she has nothing better to do than just sit and torture us from 5-8 every Monday and Wednesday night. She's literally the worst teacher at the school and the pain in my ass.'

The whole group shared a laugh at Jake's description except Fitz who was now boiling with anger. His ears had turned a bright shade of red and his jaw clenched shut. He wanted to jump across the table and strangle Jake where he sat but he knew that that wasn't a good idea.

'She's not that bad, Jake.' he grunted lowly, trying to stay calm. 'She's just really strict.'

'At least she didn't give us a shit ton of work to do this weekend. Now we can actually enjoy it. Maybe you're right, Fitz. She's not all that bad.' Jake grinned widely and stood up from his seat, holding his mug of coffee in the air. 'To the bitch of Harvard!'

His comment made everyone at the table fall into a fit of giggles as they all stood from their seats to clink their mugs together. Fitz clenched his fists, ready to start swinging at the next person who said something bad about her. Deciding that he needed some space, he stood from the bench and headed towards the cabin to calm himself down in his room. Everyone was much too busy laughing and joking around to even notice his absence.

* * *

Olivia let out a deep sigh as she parked her car in her assigned spot at her apartment complex. She had left the studio in a hurry and hadn't even bothered to change out of her Nike spandex shorts and sports bra. After shuffling around on her backseat and finding a Yale sweatshirt, she put it on and made her way to her door. It had gotten pretty dark outside and she knew Fitz would be going absolutely crazy if he knew she was walking outside alone at night.

Keeping her overprotective boyfriend's feelings in mind, she locked her car door and made hurried strides. Whoever was committing all the robberies in the area still hadn't been caught and just last night, her neighbor had been held up at gunpoint. Fitz had been wanting her to reschedule her classes to earlier in the day but she really didn't see the need. She wasn't going to let some coward dictate her life and schedule.

After making it inside and locking her door, she dropped her bag at the front door and went to shower and throw her dirty clothes in the laundry bag. She didn't have a washer or dryer in her apartment so she got all of her things professionally cleaned at the end of each week. Once she was clean and had on some pajamas, a pair of sweatpants and a fitted crop top, she checked her phone to see if she had any missed calls.

She sighed when she realized her brother, Lucas, had called her twice. The last time they spoke was during her 'not-date' with Fitz and they had had a small argument so she really didn't feel like dealing with him tonight. Deciding it would be best to get it over with, she slid her thumb across his name and listened to it ring.

It wasn't that she disliked her brother, she loved him dearly, he was just so _bossy_. Ever since their parents died, he had taken on the role of 'the man of the house' and he took his job very seriously. The only thing Olivia wanted was for him to treat her like an adult but time and time again he called her out and spoke down on her. She knew that her brother loved her but he was impossible to be around sometimes.

'Hello?' Lucas answered, his tone calm and stoic.

'You rang, Lucas?' she asked, holding her phone between her shoulder and ear while she sliced up a mango for a snack.

'I did.' he nodded. 'How are you?'

'I'm good. You?'

'Great.' he said, happy that the formalities were out of the way. 'Have you thought anymore about what I said? I haven't heard from you.'

Olivia rolled her eyes. 'Lucas, I already told you I won't be able to come home anytime soon. My students are getting ready for their midterms and I'm needed here. Maybe for Christmas or something but I just can't take off.'

'Now we both know that's a bullshit excuse so try something else, Liv.' he said, his tone still even. 'All we're asking for is a weekend. You know this is important to Mason and Jonah. Don't be like this.' he paused for a moment then spoke lowly. 'Mom and dad would want you to come home.'

She sighed. He always played the guilt trip card when it came to getting what he wanted. 'Look, I'll think about it, okay? Just shut up.'

'That's all I can ask of you.' he fought the smile about to play on his lips, knowing he had won. 'Where've you been all week? Haven't heard from you.'

'I've been busy. Phones work both ways, Lucas.'

'Busy with that new boyfriend of yours?'

She gasped. 'Aiden told you, didn't he? That little shit.'

'No, Aiden didn't tell me. You just did.' he said pointedly. 'You told Aiden but didn't tell me?' his eyebrows furrowed. 'What's wrong with him?'

Olivia chastised herself for falling for the oldest trick in the book. He definitely knew how to get information out of her. 'Who said anything was wrong with him? There's nothing wrong with him. I just didn't want to tell you about him yet.' she said plainly.

'There has to be something wrong with him if you were trying to keep him a secret.' he said matter of factly. He was an expert in the subject of Olivia Pope and knew how to push all the right buttons to get the answers he wanted. 'So just tell me. I'm going to find out anyway.'

'Lucas..' she sighed. 'Look, he makes me really happy. He's a good man and he takes care of me and—'

'What's wrong with him?' he asked interrupting her ramble.

'And he's very smart. He loves to read and he works out a lot, too. I feel like you all would get along very well and—'

'Olivia, what's wrong with him?' he pressed again.

'He's kind and compassionate and he looks out for me and—'

'Olivia!' he yelled, tired of her avoiding the question. 'What's wrong with him?'

'He's my student!' she blurted out, not even thinking twice about the consequences. She felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders now that Lucas knew. He was definitely going to be the hardest to break it to.

Lucas became dead silent on the phone as he realized what his sister had said. He almost felt like he was having a heart attack as he tried to formulate in his head what he would say to her next. It wasn't like Olivia to act so recklessly so this definitely caught him by surprise.

'He's your student? In your class? As in, you teach him?' he asked, his tone full of shock and disbelief.

'Yes.' she bit down on her bottom lip and sheepishly nodded her head as if he could see her.

'Olivia, how could you be so stupid?' he snapped loudly. He had been sitting in the living room but he quickly got up and headed towards his bedroom and shut the door, not wanting their other brothers to hear their conversation.

'Don't call me stupid! I'm not stupid!' she hissed. This was typical Lucas behavior. He was usually kind and gentle but he was definitely a hothead and often spoke before he thought when he was mad.

'You could've fooled me! _Your_ student? Your _student_! Do you know how much trouble you could get in for dating your student? They could have your job, Olivia!'

'I know that! Don't you think I know that? I could lose my job and they could kick him out of school and—'

'Frankly, I don't give a **damn** about him getting kicked out of school!' he said bluntly. 'I'm worried about you and your career! What is wrong with you? You've worked so hard to get to where you are and now what? You throw it out over sex?'

'It's not about the sex, Lucas! I really care about him and he really cares about me—'

'Oh he "cares" about you?' he scoffed. 'He's probably only with you so he can get a good grade. You're a notch on his belt, Olivia! Every guy wants to fuck his hot teacher and you're giving in to that! What in the world would mom and dad say if they knew this?'

' **Stop it**!' she yelled, a few tears now streaming down her face. 'You don't get to keep throwing that in my face to make me feel bad! It's not fair, Lucas and you know it!'

'Dad worked all his life to make sure that you lived comfortably and got the education that you wanted! Why are you risking all of his hard work? He's probably rolling in his grave as we speak!'

'Papa would want me to be happy! Papa would want me to find somebody that loved me the way he loved me!' she moved a shaky hand up and wipe her eyes and nose. 'Why don't you get that?'

'Before dad died he asked me to look out for you but I can't save you from yourself! Only a fool would do something as reckless as you are right now. I love you the way dad loved you! Aiden, Mason, and Jonah love you the way dad loved you! You don't have to have another man in your life right now!' he paused for a moment as he came up with a solution to her problem. 'You need to break away from that guy as peacefully as possible before you get too attached.'

'I don't need your protection! I'm a big girl and I can handle myself! I'm so tired of you trying to treat me like a child!' she hissed. 'And I'm already _attached_! He's not going anywhere!'

Lucas went quiet for a moment as something Olivia said finally went to his head. He had spent the last 8 years trying to shield his younger siblings from the world, especially her, and here she was trying to break away. The thought nearly crushed his spirit. 'You know what? You're right. Just forget I ever even called you. Don't worry about coming home later this month. If you don't want to be apart of this family then I can't force you.' he shook his head, not even registering in his mind that he was making her cry more and more.

'I never said I didn't want to be apart of the family! I love you all! You know that!'

'One day, and one day soon, you're going to need us.' he said lowly. 'When this whole thing blows up in your face you're going to come back home with your tail tucked between your legs.'

'God, Lucas! You're such an asshole!' Olivia choked on the lump forming in her throat and before she could say another word, Lucas disconnected the call. She threw her phone against the countertop, now using both her hands to wipe away her tears.

* * *

Fitz sighed and put his phone down after getting her voicemail for the 5th time that day. He had been calling her since he made it back to Cambridge to let her know he got home safely but he still hadn't gotten an answer from her. It really wasn't like her to not answer the phone and he was getting kind of worried. With the increase of crime in her area, he just wanted to make sure that she was alright.

He decided if she hadn't called back by 9 that night then he'd have to go check on her himself. Although they had agreed it would be best if he didn't come and see her, he was going to have to break their little rule tonight. Her well being was his priority.

Olivia hadn't gotten much rest the night before. Lucas was the only person in the world that could make her feel small and break her down to the point of tears and he had successfully done both. After spending hours with her face buried in her pillow, she finally exhausted herself and fell asleep around 5am. She had only gotten up once during the day to drink a bottle of water and use the restroom then she went right back to bed. She was emotionally and physically drained and didn't feel like dealing with anybody at all.

She sat up in her bed around 8:30, surprised that she had been out that long. After sleeping the day away she felt a little better but she was still hurt. She glanced down at her phone and realized that she had a few missed calls from Fitz and other younger brother, Aiden, but decided to ignore him for now. There was only one person she wanted to talk to.

A slight smile played on her lips when Fitz answered on the first ring. 'Hello?' she answered, her voice slightly cracking as she spoke.

'Livvie, are you okay?' he asked, his voice coated in concern.

'I'm fine. Sorry I worried you. I've been asleep.' she said softly. 'How was your trip? Did you have fun?'

He smiled a little as he thought about his trip. Excluding breakfast on the first day, the whole entire weekend was perfect. 'Ya, it was great. We did a race on a 15 mile trail yesterday and it felt good to be back just enjoying the outdoors. I can't wait to bring you and show you along the grounds.'

'That's nice, sweetie.' she said, her voice still a little weary.

Fitz's eyebrows furrowed. She hardly ever called him anything except Fitz and he could tell by her tone that something was definitely wrong. 'Are you sure you're okay? You don't sound okay.'

Olivia grunted. 'Fitz I'm fine! Just drop it!' she snapped, her voice a lot harsher than usual. As soon as she got the words out, she immediately regretted saying it. It wasn't his fault that she was having a terrible weekend and she definitely had no right to take it out on him. 'Fitz, I'm sorry.'

He shook his head. If she wouldn't tell him what was bothering her over the phone, then he'd just have to go to her. 'I'm coming over to your place so we can talk. This is a nonnegotiable.'

The line went completely silent for a moment and if he didn't know any better, he would've thought she had hung up. Fitz sat back in his chair, ready to have a heated debate. He knew Olivia would try and argue him down to get her way but he wasn't going to let this go. If something was bothering her this much then they needed to sit and work it out together. The last thing he wanted was for her to start pushing him away after they had made so much progress.

She knew it was a bad idea for him to come over to her place. Actually, it was a terrible idea. Olivia wanted to give him a list of reasons on why he couldn't come but she didn't have the energy for it. She was drained from crying and she wanted nothing more than to just lay in his arms all night.

'Will you bring clothes to sleep in?' she asked, her voice low and shy.

His lips turned up into a small smile as he realized this was his invitation to stay the night. Honestly, he was just surprised she wasn't arguing him down. 'I will if you want me to.'

'And clothes to go to class in tomorrow night?'

'I'll pack a bag right now. Have you eaten?' he asked as he stood to his feet to start searching through his drawers for clothes.

'No.' she mumbled. 'I forgot.'

'Olivia.' he chastised lightly but decided not to press the issue. She sounded terrible over the phone and he really didn't want to cause her anymore stress. 'I'll be there in 20 minutes.'

'Okay. Park in spot 36. Abbey is gone for the week.' she muttered and ended the phone call.

After taking a quick glance around her apartment, she realized that she should probably get some things in order. She had been crying in her pillows all night so she changed the sheet set then took a quick shower. Fitz had never seen her without makeup on but she definitely wasn't in the mood to cover her face tonight. She looked in the fogged up mirror and sighed. The tip of her nose had turned red, her eyes were puffy, and her whole face was sore.

'He'll probably be too scared to come inside once he sees me.' she mumbled to herself as she grabbed her moisturizer and put a few squirts on her skin.

No more than a half an hour later, Fitz pulled up to her apartment complex and parked in Abbey's space. He had never met her before but Olivia talked about her so much he felt like he had known her for years. He got out and shook his head when he realized that some of the lights around the building weren't working. It was bad enough that there was so much crime going on but it was even worse that the area wasn't well it. He made a mental note to buy her a taser or something other than the mace that she kept on her keychain. Honestly, Fitz couldn't wait for the day that they could be together freely and he could personally make sure she was safe.

Fitz wasn't too sure of who stayed in the building so he kept his head down low as he walked up the stairs to her floor. He knocked softly on the door and Olivia immediately opened it and pulled him in by his arm. She was still feeling a little paranoid about him coming over so she didn't want him spending any extra time in plain view.

Before he could drop his bag or put the food down, she wrapped his arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in his chest. Fitz knew immediately that he had made the right decision to come over and be with her. He hadn't gotten a good look at her face but she seemed tired and he could definitely tell that she had been crying. He slid his bag off his shoulder, wrapping his now free arm around her petite waist, and walked them back towards the couch.

They both sat on the couch and Olivia molded herself into his side, resting her head in the crook of his neck. She hated that she had to involve Fitz in the messiness of her family business but she really wanted him there. Having his arms wrapped around her body helped her forget about her problems, even if just for a little while.

'I brought you sesame chicken with rice and broccoli.' he said softly as he reached in the bag and got the container out for her.

Her nose slightly crinkled at the sight of food. 'I think I'll just eat some popcorn instead.' she shook her head.

' _Real_ food.' he emphasized sternly, letting her know that this was another nonnegotiable.

Olivia sighed and took the top off of the plate and grabbed the chopsticks that he was holding out to her. 'Popcorn is real food.' she mumbled under her breath.

'I heard that.' he kissed the top of her head then grabbed his own plate out of the bag. 'Popcorn isn't real food. It's a snack.'

'No its not.' she mumbled again and picked up a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth.

'Do you want to talk about it?' he asked, obviously referring to whatever it was that had her so upset.

'No.' she said softly and shook her head.

He sighed but nodded his head, taking her "no" as a "not yet". It was no way that they were leaving that apartment before she told him what was bothering her so badly. She ended up finishing all her food, realizing halfway through her meal that she was just a little hungry. She'd never tell Fitz that but she was glad he insisted on her eating the Chinese food.

Once their meals were done, Olivia stood up and threw their plates away in the small garbage bin underneath the sink. It was getting pretty late and she knew he must have been tired from his weekend trip and she getting a little drowsy herself. She walked back over to the couch where he was sitting then held her hand out for him to take.

Fitz's eyebrows raised but he took it and stood up, allowing her to lead him towards the stairs of the apartment. Her bedroom area was small but cozy and it definitely fit her personality. It was neat and clean except for a small corner with her laptop and some scattered papers and her bookshelf, overflowing with literature.

She guided him over to her oversized bed in the middle of the floor then turned to face him. Her fingers immediately went for the hem of his hoodie and, with his help, she removed it from his body. Underneath that was a Harvard t-shirt that she pulled up over his head. Fitz gave her a questioning look, obviously wondering why all his clothes were being shed.

Olivia went for his sweatpants next but he took hold of her wrists. 'Sweetheart, not tonight. Tell me what's bothering you.'

'I don't want to talk right now.' she looked down at her hands that were still in his grasp. 'I just want you to hold me. I want to feel you.'

Fitz's facial expression softened as he realized her intent and he released her wrists. He watched as she returned to her task of pushing his pants down, now leaving him in just his navy blue boxers. She then rid herself of her leggings and her t-shirt, tossing them to the side, then crawled into her bed and pushed the covers back for him.

He joined her underneath the sheets and laid down on his back, letting her adjust herself to the position she was most comfortable in. Olivia laid her head on top of his shoulder, wrapped one arm around his body and hitched her leg over his.

'Clap your hands.' she instructed softly.

He cocked an eyebrow but clapped his hands together, causing the lights around the apartment to go off. _Fancy_. Fitz wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his body as she shut her eyes.

'Thank you for coming.'

'There's no place I'd rather be.' he kissed the top of her head and let her drift off to sleep. They had a lot to talk about but for now, he was just glad he was there to help her get through whatever was troubling her.

* * *

 _ **A/N: To the guest reviewer who thought I was talking about them- It wasn't you. It was an anon on Tumblr that left the rude review (which is weird because I hardly ever use it). No need to apologize lol**_

 _ **A lot happened this chapter. Olivia is allowing herself to be more vulnerable around Fitz, Fitz nearly killed Jake, Abbey knows Olivia has a boyfriend, Lucas showed his ass, and they're spending their first night together. Next chapter we'll deal with Olivia actually telling Fitz what happened and Olivia talking to her other brothers.**_

 _ **I know I've mentioned Mellie twice so far but she won't be an active part in this story. I was going to make this chapter rated M but it just didn't seem right to do right now.**_

 _ **As always, read and review and tell me what you think. Until next time!**_


	6. And It's Going To Be Great

**3am**

Olivia rolled over on her back and looked up to the ceiling, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. The wide and open windows placed along the wall allowed for the moonlight to shine in brightly and she was now regretting not shutting the blinds. She rubbed her hands over her face and took a deep breath.

She hated to wake Fitz up, who was sound asleep beside her with his arm draped over her waist, but she was ready to talk. Usually Abbey would be the one to play the counselor at all times of the night but she wasn't there. She wouldn't have felt comfortable discussing this with her, anyway. This was something she and Fitz needed to take care of.

Carefully, she turned over so that she could face him. She didn't know the best way to wake somebody up at 3am just to talk so she just poked his shoulder repeatedly, hoping he'd stir. She frowned when he barely moved.

'Fitz.' she whispered and poked him harder, still not getting a response.

'Fitz.' she huffed and poked his cheek, causing him to just swat her hand away in his sleep.

Olivia groaned and sat up in the bed and shifted so that she could sit on top of him, now straddling his waist, but he still didn't even move. She didn't know how it was possible for somebody to be such a hard sleeper. Her bottom lip threatened to protrude but she caught it tightly in her teeth, refusing to pout. Fitz had teased her endlessly for it before and she didn't want him to have the satisfaction of seeing her petulant behavior no matter how cute he thought it was.

'Fitz!' she said loudly, shaking his shoulders lightly.

After another minute or so, his eyes began to flutter. He grunted and grabbed her hands to keep them still as he tried to catch up with what was going on around him. 'What?'

'Sorry.' she mumbled, although satisfied that he woke up. 'Were you sleeping?'

He held back a frustrated laugh but shook his head 'no' and opened his eyes. 'Not anymore. What's wrong, princess?'

'I want you to talk to me.' she said softly before rolling off of his body and laying back at his side.

His ears perked up slightly, ready to hear about whatever situation was going on. He turned on his side so that he could face her and draped her arm around her body. 'Alright. What do you want to talk about?'

She sighed. 'I had a hard weekend and I think I was just really overwhelmed from it all.'

'Mhm.' he hummed softly, waiting for her to continue.

'I told my brother about us.' she bit down on her bottom lip and looked him in the eyes.

Fitz paused for a moment. He knew that her family could sometimes be a touchy subject so they never really discussed them. 'Which brother? What did he say?'

'All of them know but Lucas is the only one that knows you're my student.' she admitted, still talking under her breath. 'He wasn't very happy when I told him. He yelled at me and told me I was a fool for doing this with you.'

'But you know that that's not true, right?' he reached up and caressed her cheek, brows now furrowed as he took in the sadness on his face. 'We're taking a risk but you're definitely no fool.'

'I know.' she sighed. 'It's just— I don't know. Lucas just has this weird ability to make me feel like absolute garbage. I know he's looking out for me but he's just such an ass!' she hissed lowly. 'He told me to not even worry about coming home and to see them.'

His eyebrows raised, surprised that her brother had let it get that far. 'Seriously? He told you you couldn't come home?'

'Well, he didn't say I couldn't. He just told me not to.'

'Are you going to go?'

'No.' she said pointedly. 'I already didn't want to go and if he wants to act like this then I definitely don't want to. I want a full apology before I even think about being near him.'

'Livvie.' he mumbled and caressed her soft thighs and ass under the covers. 'Sometimes you have to forgive people without getting an apology. Being upset at Lucas is hurting nobody but yourself. I don't like seeing you upset.'

'But why should I?' she huffed. 'He doesn't deserve my forgiveness.'

'So what about your little brothers? Don't you think they want to see you? It's not just Lucas there.'

'If Aiden, Mason, and Jonah want to come see me then they're free to do so.' she said defensively. 'I'll pay for their plane tickets and they can all sleep on the couches downstairs. But they can't bring the short, bald headed man with them.'

'Your brother loves you.' he said, placing a small kiss on her lips and trying to calm her. 'I'm sure he wants to see you.'

'He still had no right talking to me the way he did and—' she was shushed by another gentle kiss. As soon as she opened her mouth to speak again he slid his tongue through her lips.

'Fitz, I'm trying to be mad right now.' she whined but leaned in to take his mouth.

'No being mad in bed.' he said against her lips before taking over their kiss. He moved his hand underneath her thigh, hitching her leg above his while he teased the inside of her mouth.

Olivia moved her body closer to his, now chest to chest as she got lost in him. There was a certain calmness that came along with being with Fitz and she was kind of upset about it. She wanted to be angry but how could she manage that as Fitz played her like a finely tuned violin? How could she be mad when it felt like his hands we're all over her body, groping and squeezing in all of the right places?

Fitz gently rolled her over so that she could lay flat on her back and he moved to hover over her, keeping his balance on his elbows. He placed a few more gentle kisses on her cheeks, forehead, then moved down to her nose. 'Do you feel like we shouldn't be together?' he asked seriously.

She quickly nodded her head. 'I want to be with you. I want you.'

'Then we're going to be together, no matter what our families have to say about it. The only people that matter in this relationship are you and I.' he said with conviction as he pressed his forehead against hers. 'Everybody else is a formality.'

'I guess it was just hard to hear him talk to me like that.' she reached and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, letting them rest there. 'I want them to like you but he hasn't even given you a chance.'

'But you gave me a chance and you like me.' he reminded softly. 'Sweetheart, don't stress yourself out over a situation that we can not change or control. One day Lucas will come around to the idea of us being together. He's going to see how good I can be for you and he'll have no other choice but to like me.'

A small smile played at her lips and she tilted her neck to kiss him. 'You're already good for me.'

'Woah, did I just get a compliment?' he asked, his voice full of playful disbelief.

'Don't let it go to your head, Grant.' she teased, nose crinkling cutely as he started laying kisses all over her face.

He chuckled and rolled off of her and laid on his back once more. Olivia immediately clung to his side, making herself comfortable and she rested her head on his shoulder and allowed her eyes to flutter shut. Fitz wrapped an arm around her body, holding her closely as she began to drift off to sleep.

'Livvie.' he said softly. 'I don't want you to worrying about anything. After all this is over, I'm going to make you Dr. Olivia Grant. You're going to wear my obnoxiously extravagant engagement right on your pretty little finger and we're going to have a bunch of little babies that your brothers will absolutely love and adore. It's all going to work out in our favor.'

She had no idea that he even thought about having a future with her and it almost made her emotional. She shut her eyes tighter, holding in the tears threatening to fall, then kissed his shoulder. _How am I not supposed to jump on him right now?_ 'And it's going to be great.'

'And it's going to be great.' he reaffirmed before burying his face in her soft hair.

* * *

Olivia hissed lowly as the sun began to shine through the windows and press up against her face. She lightly cursed at herself for forgetting to shut the blinds and was about to get up and close them when she felt something pull her back into the bed. For a moment, she had forgotten Fitz had stayed over the night before and she shut her eyes tightly, praying that it wasn't all just a dream. She peeped down at her waist to find his arm around her body, his fingertips resting near the hem of her bra.

After shutting her eyes again she turned over, moving slowly so not to wake him. She waited until she was fully facing him to open her eyes then a warm smile took over her face. It definitely wasn't a dream and he was really laying there beside her with an arm draped protectively around her midsection. It amazed her that even in his sleep, he liked to keep her close to his body.

She wanted a few moments to take him in before he got up. They were usually in such a rush or so worried about getting caught, she never allowed herself time to just _see_ him. Of course there was still the slight chance that somebody could find out this morning but that thought was pushed in the back of her head as he laid beside her snoring. That would probably bother her one day in the future but for now, she loved it. She loved being wrapped in him and if that meant she had to deal with a little noise, then so be it. Plus, it felt so _normal_.

Olivia slowly moved the covers back to get a good view of him and said a silent prayer of thanks as she took in his muscular shoulders and chest. God had obviously taken His name when He sculpted Fitzgerald Grant just for her. Using her pointer finger, she carefully rubbed down his chest, counting out 8 muscular abdominal muscles. His body was adorned with short, light brown hair and a few scars that she had to assume he had gotten during his time in the Navy. Settled on his right pectoral muscle was a large and intricate tattoo of a ship and anchor, obviously something else he had gotten from his time in service.

She moved her hand back up to his face, caressing the stubble on his chin and cheeks that was starting to get a tad unruly. He had one curl hanging across on his forehead and she gently tugged on it, watching it spring back into place. Next she gently pinched his nose, making his snoring stop completely. She held back her giggle as he flinched away from her hand in his sleep.

Deciding to leave him alone, he wiggled her way out of his embrace and crawled out of her California king bed then went to her bathroom to freshen up. She had a morning routine that took about 10 minutes so she carefully shut the door behind her. They had brunch reservations in the next few hours and there was no point in him being up yet.

'Olivia.' Fitz called out no sooner than the door was closed. It usually took a bulldozer to wake him up but it was something about laying next to her all night that changed that. He was able to sleep clean through her playing in his hair and poking at his body parts but he was up as soon as she got out of bed.

She chuckled lowly then shook her head and yelled through the door. 'I'm just freshening up. Go back to sleep.'

Fitz huffed and got up. He wasn't going back to sleep until she was back in bed with him. This was their first time they got to be together like this and he didn't want to waste a moment of it. He went to the downstairs restroom and brushed his teeth and washed his face. When he made it back upstairs she was still in the bathroom with the door shut.

He had been around enough women in his lifetime to know how long a morning routine could last and he could only imagine what she was doing in there. Fitz smirked and knocked on the door.

'Don't come in.' she huffed sternly as soon as he knocked. 'Go back to bed.'

'Are you naked?' he asked, eyebrow cocked.

She paused for a moment but decided not to lie. 'No. But don't come in.'

'I'm coming in.' he said with conviction. When he tried to push the door open, she pushed against it with all her weight.

'No!' she whined. 'Fitz, stop!'

Fitz laughed. He'd play this little game with her for now but they both knew that he could easily get through the door when he wanted to. 'Let me in. I just want to kiss you good morning.'

'Give me 7 more minutes!' she said, pushing harder.

'What are you hiding from me?' he smirked and pushed the door open enough so that he could get his foot in.

'Fitzgerald if you come in here then you have to participate in whatever I'm doing. No complaints!' she warned.

His eyebrows raised. 'I'll accept.'

'Fine.' she released the door and crossed her arms across her chest.

He almost laughed as he took her in. She had readjusted the bun on top of her head and had put on a sweatshirt to ward off the coolness of the apartment. She had rubbed something on her face that Fitz could only describe it as a bunch of black goop because he definitely didn't know what it was or how else to describe it.

Fitz smiled warmly down at her. 'Good morning, princess.' he leaned down to take her lips.

'Nope.' she pushed her fingers between their mouths. 'Don't distract me.'

'Distract you from what exactly?' he asked, gesturing to her face.

'Since you want to come in the bathroom then you have to do a charcoal exfoliating mask.' she said matter of factly.

His nose crinkled. 'Seriously? That's what that is? Charcoal as in the stuff you grill with?'

'Shush.' she admonished, pushing him towards the counter by the sink. 'You already agreed so now you have to.'

Fitz sucked his teeth but nodded, leaning back as he watched her rub more goop on her hands then proceed to get it all over his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closely and smiling as he took in the look of concentration etched on her features.

'What exactly is this slime supposed to be doing for me again?' he asked then quickly shut his lips as he started rubbing it near his mouth. He hated the way it smelled so he could only imagine how bad is tasted.

'So you can look pretty like me.' she teased.

'I don't think I could ever be as pretty as Olivia Pope.' he murmured then quickly shut his lips again.

Olivia playfully groaned and rolled her eyes. 'You don't have to flatter me. You've already won Boyfriend of the Year.'

'There was competition?' he raised his eyebrows.

'Yes, actually.' she said in a matter of fact tone. 'There were 3 other competitors in the category.'

He smirked and shook his head at her. His hands moved from her lower back then cupped the plump cheeks of her behind, pinching both of them. Olivia squeaked and her body jerked, pressing further into his.

'Watch your mouth, little lady.' he warned with a low growl.

'Boyfriend Number 2 could take a joke.' she said below her breath but loud enough so that he could hear. She had to fight the grin forming on her face because she knew he was getting worked up.

'Did they also let you rub black junk all over their faces?' he asked, crinkling his nose as she rubbed around his nostrils.

'No.' her head shook. 'Only the gullible one let me do that.' she snorted but shut her lips tightly, trying to hold in her laughter.

Fitz laughed and could only shake his head at her again. He was just glad to see her smiling again. He wasn't sure how'd she be feeling this morning but the fact that she was insulting him was definitely a good sign. Honestly, he was happy as long as she was happy.

'There.' she mumbled as she finished and grabbed the wet towel that was behind him and rubbed the remaining mask off of her fingers. 'I'm finished.'

'Now that we look like couple of the year, can I have my kiss?' he asked, holding her body close to his.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. 'Maybe just a little one.'

'Good morning.' he simpered as he leaned forward and placed a small kiss on her lips, careful not to smudge their masks or get any in their mouths.

'Good morning.' she mumbled back, pecking his mouth repeatedly.

'How long do I have to keep this junk on? It smells like shit.' his face scrunched up and he turned his head so that he could look in the mirror.

'It has to stay on 5 minutes then we can wipe it off.' she explained before moving around him so that she could sit on the countertop beside the sink.

'Remind me to never come in the bathroom with you ever again.' he groaned in complaint before gently spreading her knees and standing in between them, caressing her smooth skin.

'I think you look beautiful.' she grinned and reached for her phone and snapped a picture of him. At first she had been wary of them taking photos and keeping them on their phones but she threw that fear away this morning. They were making so many great memories and she didn't want to miss any. They would both just have to be careful about where they kept their phones.

'Hey, hey.' he frowned and reached for her phone as she snapped away. 'No man ever wants to photographed in a facial mask.'

'Aw, I'm sorry. I forgot you were my big tough guy.' she poked her bottom lip out cutely at him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him closely to her. 'Take a picture with me.'

Fitz groaned loudly but pushed his head closer to hers so that he could be in range of the camera. He fought off his smile, purposely frowning and complaining in every picture that she took. He didn't exactly want to be in a mud mask but this felt so right. It felt good to pretend to be a normal couple even if it was just for a few hours.

Once their five minutes was over, Olivia took a warm towel and wiped her face first since she put her mask on first then worked on his. Fitz rested his hands on top of her soft thighs and shut his eyes as she worked on his skin.

'Oh my God!' she yelped as she finished with the towel and put it down beside her. Her eyes grew wider and she moved her hands over her agape mouth in shock.

'What? Whats wrong?' his eyes popped open and he looked in the mirror, trying to figure out why she yelled.

'I just forgot how ugly you were underneath the mask.' she teased then bit down on her bottom lip. She knew she was going to get it for being so silly but she couldn't help herself. 'Maybe you should put it back on.'

It took Fitz a moment to process what she said then he just laughed at himself. He should've known seen right through Olivia's little joke but she got him this time. He slowly moved his arms around her body and took a firm hold of her petite waist then playfully snarled at her before attacking her exposed neck with nips and kisses.

Olivia nearly squealed when he reached a particularly ticklish spot on her skin, bursting into fit of giggles as he turned all his attention there. 'Stop, stop!' she whined breathlessly as she tried squirming out his grasp but she knew he wouldn't.

She had been alone so long she had forgotten how good it felt to have somebody take care of her. Their relationship was hard but it was moments like these that made all the sneaking around and stolen moments worth it. It seemed like everyday he managed to break down another one of the mighty walls that she had put up to protect herself.

Fitz almost wished that Jake was there to see her right then. He wanted him to see that she wasn't just their stone cold teacher or the "bitch of Harvard" as he had nicknamed her. He _wished_ he could show everybody her bubbly personality or let the class know about all her goofy moments. He _wished_ he could make her seem more human to the rest of the world. He _wished_ the whole world could know the real her.

But, then again, maybe it was for the best. He would be the first to admit that he was a selfish man and Olivia was all his. He wanted to be the only person who saw her laugh so hard she cried or saw her taking selfies in her bathroom or pout when she didn't get her way with him. To be the person that she was most vulnerable with was a privilege that he had earned and he didn't want to share that with anyone else.

Her laughter brought him back out of his thoughts. She had given up trying to squirm and was now kicking her legs. 'I'm sorry!' she whined.

'Do you still think I'm ugly?' he asked, pulling away from her neck and looking her in her eyes.

Olivia took a breath to compose herself. Her skin was heated and red from all the laughing she was doing. 'No. You're not ugly.'

'That's what I thought.' he said victoriously before pulling her off of the countertop.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs cinched around his waist. 'You're actually the prettiest boyfriend that I have.'

'You're damned right I am.' he said gruffly as he carried her into the bedroom.

* * *

Olivia poked her bottom lip out and impatiently tapped her pen against the desk in her office. She had another hour before class started but she was counting down the minutes until she could see Fitz again. They had been together all day long but it still wasn't enough. It felt strange to be this attached to somebody but she couldn't help herself. Fitz made her feel like a completely different person when they were together. Dr. Pope was serious, calculated, and a workaholic by some standards, but Livvie was happy, relaxed and carefree.

Their brunch date earlier had been absolutely amazing. Well, the company was great but everything else was terrible. Talia's Bistro was a small hole in the wall on the other side of Boston. The food was terrible, the waitstaff was rude, the air conditioner didn't work, and they had terrible reviews on Yelp. Fitz had to send his steak back twice and she was sure that her mimosa was just orange juice in a nice cup.

 _It was absolutely perfect._

Nobody ate at Talia's Bistro which meant that they were all alone on their date. They didn't have to keep looking over their shoulders for somebody that they knew and it was refreshing to be in together public. They danced openly to the music playing, fed each other food like love struck teenagers, and shared sweet kisses after almost every other bite. It was the best date she had ever been on.

She allowed her mind to shift away into a daydream as she began to think about what the next year would hold for them. Fitz would be finished with school and they could be together in the open. He'd take her out on nice dates in fancy restaurants instead of sweating their asses off in places like Talia's. She'd be able to hold his hand while they walked through the city but his palm would probably travel elsewhere. His favorite area to grab was her ass and she could already imagine chastising him about his public displays of affection. He would most likely disregard her warnings and do what he wanted but she'd still try. She'd pretend to be mad at him but they'd both know the truth.

Her phone ringing brought her out of her little fantasy world and she sighed. She rummaged through her purse until she found it then checked the caller id.

Olivia had been actively ignoring her brother's calls for the past few days. She didn't feel like talking to any of them about what happened especially since it was still fresh. They had all called except for her youngest brother, Jonah. He was 18 years old and honestly, he was her favorite. She hesitated for a moment before sliding her finger across the screen to answer. She couldn't ignore his phone call even if she tried.

'Hey, Jones.' she said, making her voice perk up.

'Hey, Olivia.' he said, sighing with relief. 'You haven't been answering the phone. We just wanted to make sure you were okay.'

'I'm fine.' she said, wanting to change the subject off of her. 'How are you doing? How's the season going so far?'

'It's cool I guess.' he said nonchalantly. 'Our first game is coming up soon. Did Lucas tell you?'

'Ya, he told me. Are you excited? It's your last season in high school so I'm sure you are.' she said, smiling proudly.

'Ya its going to be lit.' he said, causing Olivia's eyebrows to furrow. She didn't always understand the slang that Jonah used but she had to assume that 'lit' meant 'good'. 'Are you going to come see me?'

'Oh, I don't know about that Jones.' she said softly. 'I'm pretty busy up here right now.'

'But, Olivia, this is special. Please? And you know Mason has a football game the same weekend. You could watch us both play. It'd be like killing 2 birds with one stone.' he said optimistically.

'I would love to see you both play but it's just not a good time.' she tried explaining.

'Is it the money? I can get for your plane ticket. I got a job a few weeks ago and I'm going to get paid soon. I can even pay for your Uber to get to the house if you need to me.'

Olivia couldn't help but smile. Jonah had always been a little gentleman so it was no surprise that he was offering to get her there. 'Save your money, Jonah. Lucas and I just got into a little disagreement and I really don't feel like dealing with him right now.'

'Is that all?' his eyebrows furrowed. 'Me and Lucas—'

'Lucas and I' she corrected pointedly.

Jonah groaned. 'Lucas and I get into arguments all the time. That's just who he is.'

'This one was big, Jonah. I don't want you worrying yourself about, okay? You can come see me in Cambridge for Thanksgiving break. I'll show you around Harvard.'

'Was it about your new boyfriend?' he asked quietly. He never really discussed Olivia's love life with her, he was always seen as just the little baby of the group, but he really wanted to know.

Her eyes rolled but she kept her tone even. 'Yes, but Jonah please don't bring this up to him or Aiden or Mason. I'm going to come home when I feel comfortable.'

He sighed, realizing that he was fight a losing this battle. 'Alright, Olivia. I have practice in a few minutes so I have to go.'

'Okay, Jones. Be safe and do your best.' she said, glad that the conversation was coming to a close.

'I will.' he mumbled then went quiet for a few moments. 'Olivia. I miss you. I miss you a lot.' he said sadly. 'When am I going to get to see you?'

Her heart nearly tore in two when she heard the pitiful tone in his voice. 'Soon. I promise.'

'If you're not too busy, can you please come to my game? I want you to see me play. There's going to be college recruiters there, too.' he said, trying to make it sound more exciting.

'I'll definitely consider it.'

'Alright. Bye booger breath. I love you.'

She smiled faintly. 'Bye, loser. I love you too.'

The line disconnected and she sighed. Maybe a trip home wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

 _ **This chapter turned out to be a bunch of fluff but I'm not all that upset about it. Not a whole lot happened this chapter. Olivia told Fitz what happened with her brother, then she spoke to Jonah. They had their first morning together and I really enjoyed writing that. I've been suffering from writer's block lately (not sure where that's coming from) so I'm trying to get over it.**_

 _ **I've gotten the age question a lot lately. So Olivia is 28 and Fitz is 37. He spent 10 years in the service and now he's back getting his education. I wish there was a better way for me to reach you all when you have questions. If you do then you can tweet me or ask me on Tumblr. My name is lynalexandria on both so I should be easy to find.**_

 _ **Knights Ferry... Soon. I dont know. I need to find some inspiration. I'm going to start a support group or something lol.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed. Please review and tell me your thoughts! Until next time!**_


	7. I Do

**NSFW**

* * *

Olivia found herself giddy as she sat in her office and watched the clock wind down towards the weekend. This week had been unusually busy for both of them between school and work and they hadn't had the chance to spend any time together. She usually taught her pole dancing classes on the weekends but Fitz had easily convinced her to cancel this time so they could spend the two days alone. She wasn't going to make a habit out of it but she would make an exception this time.

The earliest she could leave today was 2 and it was now 1:58pm. Usually she'd go around 4:30 but they were expecting bad weather in the area so everyone was allowed to leave earlier than usual. They'd still be on call just in case a student needed to talk but she seriously doubted any of them would. She had her purse and briefcase already packed up and Fitz was waiting for her at his house. She was going to spend the weekend with him. The whole weekend. It wouldn't be their first time sleeping in the same bed but that was different. She was an emotional wreck last time.

This time, there would be nothing keeping him from exploring her body like she knew he wanted to do. Her initial fears of their relationship being based off of sex was way in the back of her mind now and she found herself craving his touch. Adding a new level of their already intimate relationship, having time to discover one another fully, sharing each other in a way that nobody else could see them— that's what caused the butterflies in her stomach to begin fluttering around.

She had spent years in a relationship with Edison Davis and she was sure that Fitz probably knew her better than he did. Even during their engagement he never took the time to actually _see_ her. It was probably because he was too busy cheating on her with her best friend but she decided not to dwell on those thoughts today.

With a minute left before it was time for her to go, she placed an order online at Gettysburger so she could pick it up on her way to Fitz's place. She laughed triumphantly as she put her debit card information in then shut her computer down. While they were together he would never let her pay for anything so this was a small victory in itself.

At 2o'clock, her phone buzzed with a notification. A smile engulfed her face as she fished her phone out of the bottom of her bag. Usually she wouldn't be that pressed to answer text messages but she knew it was Fitz. It wasn't that he had his own special ringtone or anything like that, she just _knew_.

 **It's 2. Get your pretty ass over here**.- Hercules

She chuckled and shook her head and stood from her desk and started walking out of her office. Most of her colleagues were already gone for the day so she made sure to turn the lights off in the faculty suite as she walked out. There were gray clouds in the sky and she could tell it was going to start pouring at any minute so she switched to her Hunter rain boots before walking outside.

If she was being completely honest she was just as anxious, if not more, to see him. Being forced into a room with him for hours at a time during the week was complete torture. The fact that they had to sit and pretend like they didn't know each other, that her body didn't fit perfectly into the grooves of his, that he wasn't the one knocking down all her walls, made her want to scream.

This was the week that she almost lost all her resolve. She wanted to break their rule about no interaction after class, risks be damned, but Jake would always talk Fitz's ear off until they left the room together. Of course she would text him and tease him about how they were obviously flirting with each other but it made her sick to her stomach. She almost regretted letting him sleep over with her because now she wanted him there every night and that was just a luxury she couldn't afford.

What made class even worse were the other women that sat behind them. It wasn't that they were particularly flirty, they didn't have time to do that in front of her, but it was just the way they looked at him. They ogled at Jake, too, but he was the least of her concerns. Olivia nearly broke her chalk in half on Monday night after watching one of them touch Fitz's shoulder and ask him for a pen.

But, she had to suck it up. Not only because she knew she was being petulant and ridiculous, but because Fitz would never let her live it down if he knew she was jealous. She could almost hear him teasing her about it and she'd try to laugh it off but it'd be hard. Damage from her past relationships made it difficult not to be insecure and it made it even worse that she couldn't tell everybody to back away.

At the end of the day, though, Fitz was hers. She knew she couldn't punish him for something that Edison had done years before they met and it wasn't that she didn't trust him; she just wanted the women around him to stop being so bold. It wasn't unusual for him to get a late night text message from one of his female classmates, usually just a simple question about homework or class readings, but it still irked her.

 **Someone's being bossy today. I think I should just go to my place instead and have a girl's night with Abbey** \- Alex

 **I'm sorry. PLEASE get your pretty ass over here?** \- Hercules

 **Much better. I'm going to stop and pick up some food then I'll be right over** \- Alex

Olivia sent the message then got into her car. She knew he was going to have a fit about her buying food but she didn't care. She wanted them to be equal partners in their relationship and she didn't mind paying for things. He had tried to put on this macho man front and explain to her to him purchasing food or whatever else was all a part of 'wooing' her, but she didn't need that.

After going by Gettysburger and making a quick stop by Harris Teeter to pick up a case of his favorite beer, she started on her way towards Fitz's house. He had given her a garage door opener so she pressed the button and parked her car beside his when she arrived.

Before she could get out of the vehicle, Fitz was in the garage, opening her door for her. He offered her his hand, helping her get out of her seat, then pushed her back into the car. Her body pressed firmly against the metal with a hard thud and she nearly stumbled as she found her footing. It had been so long since he had time to have her like this. It had been way too long. His mouth immediately found hers, pressing against it and using his tongue to pry her full lips open.

It took a moment for Olivia to catch up with what was going on around her. He had caught her off guard and she needed a moment to gather herself. One of Fitz's hands rested on her bottom while the other was planted on the side of her face, holding her head in place while he attacked her senses. She let out a soft moan as his tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth and his fingers ran lightly through the hairs at the nape of her neck. She tried pulling her head back to catch her breath but he didn't relent, holding her stagnant as he tasted her.

Fitz pressed his body against hers, trapping her between him and the car as he massaged her plump ass in his hands. He could feel his cock twitch in the front of his pants and he knew he needed to stop and calm himself down. He was tempted to turn her around and hike her dress up so he could take her against the car but he wanted to get them inside. Their first time was going to be slow and passionate and he wanted to see the look on her face as he made every nerve on her body shiver.

'You've been gone way too long.' he groaned against her lips.

She exhaled, trying to catch her breath as a smile took over her face. 'It's only been a week.'

'A week too damned long.' he nearly growled as he nipped at her top lip. He moved his right hand down from her cheek to the backside of her thigh and picked her up into his arms.

Olivia laughed and squealed loudly, burying her face in his neck and wrapping her legs tightly around his waist. 'Fitz, I have the food in the car!'

'Later.' he said right before taking her lips again and carrying her into the house. He had been counting down the minutes all day long till the moment he got to kiss her again, to feel her in his arms again, to hear her laughing again—he wanted to savor every moment of this, every moment of her.

'I'm hungry.' she huffed petulantly as he maneuvered through the stacks of books in his living room and placed her down on the couch.

He playfully rolled his eyes. 'I haven't laid eyes on you all week and the only thing on your mind is stuffing your mouth.'

'Hey, hey.' she chastised lightly. 'I can take my food and beer back to my house. I picked up a case of Sam Adams for you.'

'Trying to get me drunk and have your way with me?.' he asked teasingly, straightening out his now wrinkled shirt.

'I've never had to get you drunk to get what I wanted from you.' she sassed back at him as she made herself comfortable and took off her rain boots.

He chuckled and shook his head and picked her boots up so he could put them on the rack near the door. While he got the food and her bag out of the car she turned the television on and began looking for something to watch. He had promised that he'd give Game of Thrones a chance this weekend so she went to find season one on demand.

Fitz came back into the living room a few moments later with her duffel bag on his shoulder. 'Good Lord woman. Are you staying for the weekend or are you moving in?'

'It's not that heavy.' she snickered at his dramatics and stood to her feet and walked over to him. 'But I figured it would be a good idea to bring over a couple extra things. Just a few little items that I could keep here. Is that alright?' she asked softly, making sure that she hadn't overstepped any boundaries.

He smiled widely, reassuring her and pushing her nervousness out of her head. 'That's a great idea. I want you to have things here. What's all in here?' he asked as he placed it by the stairs so he could take it up later.

'Just a few outfits.' she said while they walked back over to the couch. 'An extra toothbrush and some makeup.'

His nose crinkled as they sat beside one another. 'You're going to hang dresses in my bachelor pad?'

'Yes.' she said, cutting her eyes at him. 'And don't call it a bachelor pad. You're spoken for.'

He chuckled. 'A bachelor is anybody who hasn't been married and,' he held his left hand up so she could see, wiggling his digits for emphasis. 'I don't see a ring on this finger.'

Olivia grabbed his hand, holding onto his ring finger in particular. 'Fitzgerald,' she said cooly, a warning not to test her. 'You're highly spoken for.'

His face softened slightly as he sensed the seriousness in her tone. He took hold of her free hand and brought it up to his mouth, placing small kisses on her fingers then moving to her palm. 'You're right, sweetheart. _Extremely_ spoken for.' he said, emphasizing the word.

A small smile played at her lips as she got the reassurance she'd been searching for all week. Of course he didn't know that she was feeling a little insecure about their relationship but it still made her feel better to hear him say it. She brought her hand down from his lips and leaned in, placing small kisses on the corners of his mouth. 'How was your week?'

'Terrible. I've had to watch my hot teacher walk around the room and talk about the Canterbury Tales when all I wanted to do was push her against the wall and take that pretty mouth of hers.' he said, nipping at her bottom lip as she tried pulling away from him.

'You're shameless.' she smirked and tried to stand to get away from him but he wouldn't allow it.

'Well, you're the one that asked.' he huffed before picking her bare feet up and placing them across his lap so that she was stretched over the couch. Their bags of food were on the coffee table so he went through it and handed her her burger and fries.

Olivia started up the first episode of Game of Thrones right as the rain started to come in. She was already caught up on the series but she didn't mind watching it over especially since she got to watch it with him. She glanced over at him as his eyebrows furrowed while he observed the beginning credits.

'What's this show about again?'

'Fitz!' she hissed and paused the episode. 'You were supposed to read the synopsis.'

'I skimmed it.' he said defensively. 'But I didn't get it. Everybody's fighting over the silver throne or something, right?'

She scoffed. 'The Iron Throne, baby! The Iron Throne!'

A small smile played on his lips. Olivia never called him by any pet names so he couldn't help himself. 'That's what I meant.'

Her bottom lip poked out slightly. 'You promised you'd read it all.' she said softly.

 _She cant know how cute she is._

'I'm sorry, Livvie.' he said, reaching out to grab her hand and kiss it. 'But I knew that you'd be able to tell me more about it before the episode started. I was just a little confused. So Jamie and Cersei are siblings?'

'Yes.' she nodded her head as she put a few fries in her mouth. She didn't usually indulge in greasy foods unless she was with him. 'They're twins and they have a younger brother named Tyrion.'

'And they're the Lannisters?'

'Well, them and their father, Tywin. Cersei is married to Robert Baratheon who is like the king of all of Westoros.' she said, a little smile now on her face as she explained the opening scenario.

Honestly Fitz had already read the show summary and understood exactly what was going on. He found the concept interesting but he also liked the way Olivia's face lit up when she talked about something that she really liked. Watching her nerd out over incestuous siblings and dragons was way better than just reading about it.

By the time she finished talking they were both done with their food so she started the episode again. Her feet were still in his lap and he absentmindedly picked them up and massaged them while they watched. She had the terrible habit of wearing heels everyday and he just knew that they must have been aching after a long week of meetings and lectures.

Around 7:15 they had just finished their fourth episode when the lights went out and left them in complete darkness. Olivia immediately pulled her phone out of her back pocket and turned her flashlight on so they could see. He stood to his feet and opened up the curtains so that the moon and occasionally strikes of thunder could help illuminate the room.

'You know,' he said as he moved back to the couch to sit down. 'Most people consider this cuddling weather.'

Olivia crinkled her nose. 'Why in the world would I want to cuddle with you?' she said teasingly but was already scooting closer to him. She sat in his lap facing towards him, straddling his thighs.

Fitz draped his arms around her waist, allowing his hands to settle on her ass. He pinched both cheeks, causing her to jerk. 'Be nice, princess.'

She smirked and shook her head, placing both her hands on his shoulders. 'What are we supposed to do now that we can't watch television?'

'I suppose we'll have to just sit here and talk to each other like how they did back in the old days.' he chuckled.

'How barbaric.' she playfully scoffed. 'Alright, old man, what do you want to talk about?'

'Hmm.' he hummed as he tried to come up with something to ask. 'Have you decided if you're going to visit your brothers yet?'

Olivia's face immediately turned into an ugly scowl and Fitz feel her body grow tense and rigid as he brought up what he knew was going to be a very touchy subject for her. Jonah's game was next Friday and Mason's game was the day after so if she was going to go then she needed to make a decision. Her hands immediately fell from his shoulders and she tried to stand up. She wanted to put some space in between them and she definitely didn't feel like talking about her brothers.

'Hey, hey.' he said soothingly, his arms still firmly draped around her. 'Don't do that. Relax, Livvie. We're just talking.'

'I don't want to talk about this.' she shook her head. 'Let's talk about something else.'

'But, this is important.' he said, still holding her now stiff body close. 'So I think we should talk about it.'

Her eyebrows furrowed, now feeling on the defense. Deep down she knew Fitz was only trying to help her sort things through but she wasn't thinking straight right then. 'Why do you even care, Fitz?' she yelled.

 _Because I love you, woman._

'Because you're my girlfriend and it's my job to care about you and how you feel.' he said softly, not trying to start a fight with her. 'Just talk to me.'

Olivia sighed and looked away from, realizing that he wouldn't let this go. 'You're asking me to tell you how I feel when I don't even know that. I'm still struggling with it.'

'And that's alright.' leaned forward and kissed her exposed neck. It wasn't anything sexy or gesturing, just something for comfort. 'Maybe I can help you work through it. I want to be here for you but I can only do it if you let me.'

'I don't want to go home.' she mumbled, still not looking at him.

'I know.' his head nodded.

'But I need to go home and check on my brothers.' she countered.

'I know.' he nodded again.

Her eyes rolled and she looked back to him. 'You're supposed to be helping me figure this out. Not just agreeing with me.' he punched his chest softly.

'I'm sorry.' he chortled. 'Want me to tell you what I think?'

She reached out and cupped his cheeks in between her hands and used her thumb to move the errant curl that always fell to the front of his face. 'You're too pretty to be thinking.'

He smirked. She was trying to change the subject and distract him but that wouldn't work tonight. 'I think that you're overthinking the situation with your brothers. Arguments don't break families apart. They strengthen them. Your brothers need you right now and I know it hurts and I know that you're scared but this is a sacrifice that I think you need to make.'

Olivia looked over him for a few moments, taking in his words. It wasn't that she didn't already know it but hearing Fitz say it out loud really made it clear him her head. She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp just the way he liked. 'When you'd get so damned wise?'

'I've always been wise.' he said with a grin.

'You're right, Fitz. You're a wise old man.' she teased. 'You're my wise old man.'

His nose crinkled and he turned his head to place a kiss on one of her exposed wrists. 'One day I'm going to find another woman that treats me better.'

Her breath caught in the back of her throat but she laughed the little jab off. She had already exposed enough of herself tonight and felt no need to bring up her other insecurities. 'You couldn't do any better than me.'

'You're right, princess. I'd be lost without you.' he said, unknowingly settling some of her anxiety. He pulled her closer to him that they could be chest to chest and he started showering her face with affectionate little kisses.

Her face scrunched up cutely as he reached her nose. 'Let's go to bed and lay down. I don't think the lights are going to come back on anytime soon so we're going to have to wait to see when winter is coming.'

He snorted at her Game of Thrones reference then stood to his feet, picking her up with him. She smiled and hitched her hips against his and wrapped her arms around his neck as they made their way towards the stairs. He grabbed her bag on the way up and walked them straight to his bedroom.

Unlike the organized mess that was in his living room, his room was neatly sorted and clean. He had a simple queen sized bed pressed up against the back wall that was barely made up and his master bathroom attached directly to it. There was a window that overlooked his tiny backyard but their was a blackout curtain over it. The thick, plush carpet and walls were a simple cream color which looked great with the dark oak colored furniture.

Fitz deposited her onto the bed and put her bag on the floor beside her feet. 'I'm praying that you brought a very minimal amount of pajamas with you.'

Olivia bit down on her bottom lip as she watched him take off his shirt. 'I like feeling your skin on me while I sleep.' she confessed softly.

He smiled as he dropped his jeans then threw them off to the side, now left in only a pair of boxers. He walked to where she was sitting and kneeled in front of her. 'Anything you want.' he said as he reached out and began undoing the buttons on her denim shirt.

A smile began to form on her lips as he started slowly undressing her. It was one of the most intimate things she had ever done with somebody and she could feel those same butterflies flying around in the pit of her stomach from when they first met. Usually she was undressing herself or somebody was ripping through her clothes to get to what they wanted. This was different though. Fitz was taking his time and appreciating every inch of her exposed skin as his eyes met it for the second time.

Once he got all the buttons undone, she pushed the shirt off and threw it in the small stack of clothes forming on the floor. Next he went to undo the buckle on the belt of her black pants. She lifted her hips to help him get them all the way down and he placed kisses along the tops of her thighs and down her smooth legs, not stopping until he got to her ankles. He tossed her pants to the side and smiled up at her.

Olivia reached out, beckoning for him to join her once again on the bed and he obeyed. He worked his way back up her body, touching and caressing the surface of her skin until he was back at the top. She scooted further into the bed so that he could crawl in with her and laid on her back. Fitz moved so that he could hover above her, his elbows resting on either side of her arms.

'You are so beautiful.' he said, breaking their silence as he leaned in and kissed her.

Before long, they were making out like two teenagers in love. They were entangled in the sheets and her legs were wrapped firmly around his body as he started kissing down her jawline until he reached her cleavage. He kissed both of her breasts, squeezing them through her simple black bra as he did.

'Fitz.' she breathed. ' _Off_.. _off_..' she requested, trying to sit up.

He moved further down her body so that she could sit up and watched as she stripped herself of her bra and dropped it to the floor. His jaw dropped and his cock twitched as he took in the sight of what he had been fantasizing about for weeks. Olivia smirked slightly as he seemed to be at a loss for words.

'They're just boobs.' she laughed breathlessly and covered them with her arms, his staring making her feel a little self conscious.

Fitz moved closer to her, trapping her between his body and the headboard. She could start to feel a familiar sensation in the juncture between her legs as he gave her _that_ look. Olivia had no other way to describe it other than his predatory look. They hadn't been together long but she knew exactly what it meant when he looked at her that way. It meant that he was going to pounce on her at any moment and that she needed to be ready.

 _5.. 4.. 3.. Damn, he's gotten faster._

Before she could finish her mental countdown, Fitz was on top of her again. He pushed her back down on her back and pinned her arms down on either side of her body as he buried his face between her two mounds. He licked and sucked on her now painfully erect nipples as she writhed underneath his body

Olivia really couldn't tell but she would bet money that if she stood up straight she'd start dripping down her leg. She pushed her hips against his body in an attempt to bring his attention elsewhere, to where she really wanted him, but he ignored her gesture completely.

She reached down and grabbed his curls, pulling his face up so that he'd have to look at her. 'Lower.'

'So demanding.' he murmured as he took her nipple back in between his and sucked on it.

'Fuck.' she squeaked, her back arching and pressing further into his mouth.

Slowly, his hand moved lower until it reached the juncture of his legs and he cupped her pussy through her now soaked panties. He couldn't help but get a small boost to his ego knowing that he was the one causing her to ruin the sheets on his bed. His fingers slipped past the hem of the fabric and her whole body jerked as his pointer finger expertly parted her lower lips. He ran it up and down her slit, teasing her entrance.

Olivia could feel her womanhood clenching every time his finger passed over it and she groaned impatiently. She threw her arm over her eyes, her taut stomach trembling as he continued to worship her body in the way he saw fit. He finally started moving down her body and he licked a trail from her breasts to her panty line and her legs immediately spread further apart for him. He removed his finger from her panties and sucked her essence off it then hummed his approval as he laid between her legs. She reached down to slide her panties off but he grabbed her hands and held them down. She opened her mouth to object but he spoke first.

'I was serious when I told you I was coming for what was mine. _This_ ,' he said, running his finger up and down her covered core. 'is mine. You are mine to undress, to kiss, to lick, and to pleasure. I let you make the rules on the outside but this is my domain. Understood?'

Her eyebrows furrowed as she listened to what he said. If any other man had dared speak those words to Olivia Pope they'd probably never see of hear from her again but with Fitz it was completely different. She liked his take charge mentality and his possessiveness over her was a turn on in itself. She slowly nodded her head showing that she understood and moved her hands to the sheets, gripping them lightly.

'I understand.' she said softly as he lifted her legs to rest on his strong shoulders.

Fitz returned his head in between her thighs, kissing and licking the sensitive skin there as he lapped up any of her arousal that had managed to escape the constraint of her now ruined panties. By the time he reached the crotch of the fabric her body was trembling with anticipation.

As if he knew her anatomy better than she did, he sucked on her clit through the saturated fabric. Her body nearly bounced off of the bed as she realized that he was probably going to make her orgasm without even getting her underwear off. He was absolutely relentless as he used his mouth on her. Using two fingers, he slid the thin material over to the side so that there was no barrier between her and his tongue.

He licked up and down her throbbing pussy while his thumb rubbed circles on her clit. Olivia could barely make a sound at all as she tried to process what he was doing to her. She had never been a loud screamer in bed but he could tell by her facial expression and the way that she was nearly pulling the sheets off of the bed that she was enjoying it. The heels of her feet dug into his back as she neared her orgasm.

Fitz moved his lips back up to her clit and kissed it softly before sucking the nub back into his greedy mouth. The lower half of her body arched up off of the bed but he gently pushed her back down and held her in place.

' _Fitz_.' she cried out to get his attention. She moved a shaky hand in his reach and he instinctively intertwined their fingers and let them rest on top of her belly.

After a few more flicks of his tongue, Olivia found her release and her whole body clenched then relaxed as her body sinked into the bed. Fitz busied himself licking her clean as she recovered from her earth shattering orgasm. He could help the small smile on his face as he thought about getting the chance to please her over and over and over again.

He kissed his way up to her pelvic bone and sucked on the skin there, purposely leaving a mark that would match the ones he had left on her chest. He then slowly licked his way up her abdomen, between the valley of her breasts and then to her jawline. He laid wet kisses along the sensitive skin there then pressed his engorged cock in between her legs.

Olivia gently bucked her hips forward so that she could grind her body against his. She grabbed his face and brought her lips to his and he groaned into her mouth. 'I want it.' she grunted lowly.

'Not yet.' he shook his head.

Her bottom lip protruded in a pout but she immediately caught it in between her teeth. She watched as he sat up above her and got his boxers off and threw them off to the side. Her jaw dropped immediately as she got a look at his impressive size and prayed silently that he knew what to do with it.

Fitz took a hold of the base of his dick and lightly stroked it as he looked over her body. He pressed his bulbous tip in between her slick folds, teasing them both as he rubbed it up and down. After he had her writhing underneath him, he reached over in his nightstand and pulled out a condom. He ripped the golden wrapper off with his teeth and rolled it down his member as she watched.

He laid back down and used his elbows to hover over her body a he kissed her. Olivia's tongue found its way inside of his mouth and her hands moved to his biceps as he started sliding inside of her. He cold see her eyebrows furrow as her walls stretched to accommodate his size. She was incredibly tight and it felt like her muscles were pulling him in. Once he was almost balls deep in her warmth she let out a satisfied purr. His thrusts started off slow as he adorned her face and neck with kisses. He moved to intertwine their fingers and he held their hands above her head. Olivia began moving her hips, now meeting his thrusts as he moved in and out of her.

Their love making was slow and passionate as they fell into a rhythm that was more like old lovers than a new couple. His deep thrusts were hitting her spot repeatedly and she could feel herself closing in on another orgasm. As if he could read her mind, he moved his right hand in between them, using his thumb to rub her clit. She gasped loudly as he took her over the edge and her body clenched under him.

He continued moving in and out of her as he watched her sated body relax into the bed. Her walls had a vice grip on his cock and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. His speed picked up a bit as he finally came inside of her.

His body collapsed on top of hers but he didn't stay there long. He definitely didn't want to squish her and she was still breathing hard and he imagined the extra weight wouldn't make it any easier. He rolled off of her and disposed of the condom in the trashcan on his side of the bed before laying down on his back beside her.

After a few moments Fitz glanced over at her. She was staring up at the ceiling with the biggest, goofiest grin he had ever seen. He smirked and turned on his side so that he could face her. 'What are you grinning about?'

Olivia turned her neck to say something but just burst into a fit of breathless giggles. He chuckled and shook his head before pulling her body closer to his. 'What in the world is so funny, woman?'

She smiled brightly and kissed him. 'It just feels like a dream.' she said as she pushed him back and rolled on top of him. 'It was perfect. You were perfect.'

'Wow I think this is the third time you've complimented me. I must be on some type of roll.' he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Her eyes rolled but she smiled. 'Don't be cute. I hate it when you're cute.'

'No you don't.' he smiled and tilted his neck forward to kiss her. 'I'm cute all the time so you have to like it.'

'And you're a know it all.' she said as she bit down on his top lip.

'I'm the know it all that made your eyes roll to the back of your head.' he smugly retorted.

'Oh my God.' she groaned loudly. 'And that damned ego of yours is so big I'm surprised it fits in the room.

Before he could respond the lights around the room turned back on. The storm had died down a little but they had been too preoccupied to even notice.

'Looks like the power is back on. Want to finish season one?' he asked, already reaching for the remote on his nightstand.

'Ya.' she smiled and nodded her head before rolling off of his body so he could sit up. 'I'm going to get some water. You want something?'

'A beer and whatever snacks you get your hands on first.' he said while scrolling through the On Demand options. He could see her getting dressed out of the corner of his eye and turned his attention back to her. 'No, Livvie. Naked.' he grinned deviously.

'I'm not walking around your house naked.' she snorted as she went in search for her panties.

'House rules.' he said with finality.

Olivia looked to him with her eyebrow cocked trying to see if he was serious. She dropped the t-shirt she had in her hands and threw it back in the dirty clothes stack, accepting his challenge. 'Your house has the dumbest rules.'

'They look pretty damned good to me.' he mumbled as he watched her walk out the room, her hips swaying as she walked out.

* * *

Saturday 2pm

Following Fitz's 'house rules', they were both in his closet naked. He was sitting on the ottoman eating Chinese food out of a white takeout container while he watched her organize her things. His walk in closet wasn't huge but it was definitely meant for two people and it made him happy to see the other side getting some use for something other than his dirty clothes pile.

Olivia stood on the tips of her toes as she hung one of her dresses up on what had unofficially become her area. She smiled and put her hands on her hips, satisfied with herself for getting most of her unpacking done. The closet had a small vanity area on the side that Fitz didn't use at all so her spare makeup and hair products were sitting on top of it. Next she reached down in her bag and brought up a few pairs of panties and a couple of bras.

His eyes immediately lit up and his body perked. 'I want to see.'

'No.' she laughed and shook her head as she walked towards the drawers. 'They're not anything sexy.'

'I think anything you wear is sexy.' he said honestly.

Olivia rolled her eyes but turned to him, flashing him a pair a begonia colored thong with lace trim that she had gotten from Victoria's Secret recently. She only let him get a quick glimpse of them before putting all of her underwear in her assigned drawer.

'I can't wait to take you out so I can bring you back home and rip all those panties off your body.' he said before scooping some rice in his mouth.

She swallowed a small lump in her throat and clenched her thighs together. It was amazing how he could say something like that so casually and still manage to get her hot and bothered. She shut the drawer then turned back so that she could face him. 'You can take them off. No ripping.'

'Debatable.' his shoulders shrugged nonchalantly. 'You know what I think would be fun?'

'What's that?'

'If you took me lingerie shopping with you so I could watch you try stuff on.' he said with a hopeful grin.

'Nice try, perv.' she laughed and walked towards him. 'Absolutely not.'

'It was worth a shot.' he simpered.

'I was thinking about what you said yesterday.' Olivia leaned over so that they were face to face then opened her mouth. Fitz picked up a piece of his chicken with his chopsticks and put it in.

'And what'd you decide?'

'I decided that I'm going back home for the weekend.' she said, punctuating the decision with a deep sigh. 'I'm going to call Aiden and tell him to tell the staff to get my room ready and to get me tickets to see Jonah and Mason.'

Fitz smiled brightly, happy about her decision to go spend time with her family. Of course he'd miss her while she was gone but it was for the best in his eyes. 'That's great, Livvie. I'm proud of you. I really am.'

'Let me finish.' she giggled nervously. She stood up straight and rested both her hands on his shoulders. 'I decided that and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come with me. I know it's last minute and I know that Lucas already doesn't like you but it would really mean a lot if you came.'

Olivia almost snorted as she watched his smile grow wider until it nearly reached his ears. She had a feeling he would say yes but she always had some doubt in the back of her mind. Fitz put his food to the side and grabbed her by her waist and brought her closer to his body, burying his face in her stomach.

'I would love to accompany you.'

'Really?' she asked, running her fingers through his hair. 'You don't think we're rushing it?'

'No. Not at all.' he said as she looked up to her, his chin now resting in her flesh. 'I plan on making you my wife someday soon and it's only right that I meet your family.'

Her face flustered. 'How do you talk about marriage and babies so casually? How do you know I'm the one you want to marry?'

He smirked. 'Silly, woman. I wouldn't be dating you if I didn't see myself marrying you one day. When I think about my future I see you in it. Most people either get married or break up and I don't plan on breaking up with you so, obviously, I'm going to marry you.'

Olivia cupped both of his cheeks in his hands and smiled down at him. She found it amazing that Fitz had such a simple way of looking at things. With her she thought about all possible outcomes and everything that could go wrong along the way. He saw the world through his own pair of rose colored glasses and she found it extremely charming.

'You're my wise old man.' she mumbled before leaning forward and kissing his lips.

* * *

Fitz had been extremely vague with all of his friends and family about where he was going for the weekend. While his siblings and parents didn't pry, Jake could tell something was up. After class, they both stood from their seats. He didn't have much time to talk, though, because their flight was leaving in 2 hours.

'So you just planned a trip to Atlanta for no reason?' Jake questioned as he put his backpack on his back.

'Something like that.' he shrugged his shoulders. His story was technically true because they had an hour layover there.

'And you're going by yourself? To do what?' he asked, trying to pry information out of him.

'Probably to enjoy the company of a beautiful lady.' he grinned.

Olivia's face lit up red. She was gathering her things at her desk and could hear their whole conversation. 'You guys have a good weekend.' she smiled at them then headed out to her car where they were supposed to meet.

'You too, Dr. Pope.' Jake said but made a face at her as she walked away. 'She's such a bitch.'

Fitz fought the urge to punch his friend in the face and instead forced a smile on his face. He stood from his seat and grabbed his backpack. 'I'll see you Monday, Jake.' he said as he quickly paced out of the room and went to the bathroom. He was going to give everyone 5 minutes to clear out before he went to the car.

He knew Olivia was really reserved and defensive but she wasn't a bitch. At least not the Olivia he had grown to love over the past few weeks. He had been slowly working on pulling her out of this little shell that she hid in and it seemed that overtime they were together, her smile grew a little brighter. He just had to fight the urge to strangle his best friend over his remarks.

After a few minutes, he walked out and went to the faculty parking lot where she was waiting in her Camaro. She unlocked his car door and he got in on the passenger side. She leaned over the center console and stole a kiss from him before he put his seatbelt on.

'You and your boyfriend kiss goodbye?' she asked teasingly.

'Somebody sounds jealous.' he smirked and sat back in his seat.

'Not at all. My ass looks way better than Jake's.' she playfully scoffed as she backed out of her parking spot. Luckily for them her windows were heavily tinted and nobody could see inside of them.

When they made it to the airport they both went to the restrooms to change into something more comfortable for their flight. Olivia chose a pair of black Nike leggings, a white tank top, a black zip up hoodie and her black Converse while Fitz threw on a pair of sweatpants and a tight fitting white t-shirt that made her mumble expletives when she looked at him.

They sat beside one another in the terminal while they waited for the flight to be called. There weren't too many people taking this flight so it was pretty quiet except for the occasional announcement on the speakers. He had gone by the Starbucks close to where they were and gotten her a tea and a danish and himself a coffee and a bagel. She pulled her computer out and started typing something and that caught his attention.

'What are you doing?' he asked, glancing at her computer screen.

'I teach a few online classes at other universities so I'm just uploading the link to their assignments.' she said not even looking over to him.

'Wow, they let you torture people over the internet, too?' he teased and her eyes rolled.

'Haha, very funny Fitzgerald.' she brushed the comment off but something in the pit of her stomach began to ache. People had told her before that she was mean and she used to take it personally. She would make it a point to smile and seem cheery but after a year, she realized that that just wasn't her. Usually she would brush comments like those off but his opinion of her really mattered.

They both sat quietly until their flight was called and they boarded first class. Fitz carried her pink and green bag on his shoulder proudly as they stepped on the plane. It was only a few other people on board so they staff immediately came around to get their drink orders. Olivia ordered a glass of white wine and he got a scotch. She pulled her phone and earphones out but glanced over at him first.

'Fitz?'

'Yes?' he looked back to her. He had brought a book to read during the flight and was about to get engrossed into it. He frowned slightly when he saw that her eyebrows were furrowed. She was obviously upset about something.

'Do you think I'm mean?'

'Of course not.' he answered quickly. 'Defensive, reserved, and stubborn as a bull, though.' he grabbed her face in his hands and chastely kissed the top of her hairline. The muscles in her body relaxed when their skin made contact and he smiled down at her.

'Are you sure?'

He shook his head. 'You're not mean. People.. Just don't understand you.'

'You do.' she said a little sheepishly as a smile began to form on her lips, her face still resting comfortably in his large hands.

He pressed his forehead against hers. 'I do.' he placed a kiss on her lips as the pilot announced that they were getting ready for takeoff.

* * *

 _ **So I had a serious debate about changing the rating. I had a few people asking me not to but I think, for the most part, everyone was ready for some more mature content.**_

 _ **This chapter was longer than usual but it was necessary and I enjoyed writing it. Next chapter we'll meet Olivia's family and see how Fitz interacts with them and of course the in person showdown between Olivia and Lucas. As usual please tell me what you think about the chapter and what you think is going to happen next. I love interacting with you all. My Twitter and Tumblr name is lynalexandria if you have any other questions. I shouldn't be hard to find.**_

 _ **S/N: If you havent checked out my one shot then I think its worth a read. I promised that if it got enough good feedback that I'd continue it long enough to at least give them a happy ending and I'm going to be good on my word. The Perfect Stranger will have at least 2 more chapters. Thank you all for reading and reviewing it. If you have any ideas on what may happen next or what you want to see happen next then I'd love to hear it.**_

 _ **Until next time.**_


	8. Welcome Home

**NSFW**

* * *

 **Wednesday Night**

Their layover in Atlanta wasn't nearly as long as scheduled and the plane was almost completely empty on the last leg to Mississippi. To avoid being too jet lagged once they reached their destination they got some sleep on the flight. Olivia had pushed the armrest that separated them up and they found themselves snuggled in their seats with her head lodged in the crook of his neck. At some point she felt one of the flight attendants put a blanket over them but she was thankful for it. Fitz, as usual, was out like a light.

She wasn't sure where he got this terrible habit from but she wished it was a way to break him out of it. Olivia was wide awake once they landed but she had to almost shake him to get him to stir. He eventually yawned and opened his eyes, unaware of how hard she had been trying to get him up.

Once they got off the plane they went straight to baggage claim to grab their suitcases. They walked hand in hand through the airport which was a very refreshing contrast to how things were back at home. Neither of them had to keep their heads down or constantly look over their shoulders or pretend not to know one another as they freely made their way through the terminals. They were just another couple in the airport and it felt great.

'Have you eaten today?' Fitz asked as casually as possible. For some reason this was a very touchy subject for them. It was always frustrating to hear that she had 'forgotten' because she was so wrapped up in her work.

Olivia's cheeks heated. She hadn't even thought about food today. Between last minute packing and mentally preparing herself to deal with Lucas the last thing on her mind was eating.

'Yes.' she nodded. She had a granola bar for breakfast that morning before starting her day and in her opinion that should count for something.

'Real food?' he questioned.

'Of course.' she nodded again and smiled at him.

'I don't believe you.' he scoffed.

She gasped as if she was offended. 'Are you calling me a liar?'

'Well I'm not calling you a truther.' he chuckled at her dramatics. 'Seriously, Liv. Have you eaten?'

Olivia sighed. 'I had some breakfast this morning but I forgot to get lunch.' she could feel his eyes cut at her when she said the word 'forgot' but she continued. 'There's this really good fish place a few minutes away from the house. Why don't we stop there for a late dinner?' she suggested with a smile.

'Fish sounds good.' he nodded his head in agreement right as his stomach began to growl.

There weren't a lot of people in the small airport which made it fairly easy to navigate through it. She requested for an Uber to come pick them up and it arrived shortly after. The driver was a young guy, around 25 if Fitz had to guess, and he immediately got out to help them with their bags and put them in the back of the car. He didn't really like the way he was looking at Olivia but he brushed it off. She was too busy texting away on her phone to even notice the guy making 'googly eyes' at her so he supposed it didn't matter.

While their age difference seemed minuscule to Olivia, Fitz was very conscious of it. He always noticed when some young guy made eye contact with her for a minute too long or went out of his way to talk to her but he was usually helpless in those situations. A little jealousy wasn't worth blowing their cover while they were in Boston so he had to learn to keep his cool. He couldn't wait until they could be together in public all the time so he could give all the men around them dirty looks.

He had no clue that she was feeling as equally as frustrated with the way women on campus flirted with him.

They both got into the back of the car and Olivia gave the driver the address to the restaurant then went back to her phone. Fitz wrapped his arm around her while he took in his surroundings. He had never been to Mississippi before and he was expecting a lot more cornfields and scarecrows than what he was seeing.

'Would you stop texting long enough to talk to me?' he playfully jabbed at her, bringing her attention away from her phone.

'Sorry, it's my boyfriend checking in on me.' Olivia smirked. 'I miss him. I wish he could've come with me this weekend.' she felt the muscles in her stomach clench as soon as the words left her lips. She knew Fitz would make her pay for her little comment but she loved it.

Fitz had taught her plenty of 'lessons' about teasing him and each one she enjoyed more than the last. In the beginning he would just tickle her until she apologized and although she hated to admit it, she loved the way his hands felt as they roamed up and down her sides and to her underarms. Then there was the time he had her pinned on the bathroom counter while he kissed the ticklish spot on her neck. She wasn't used to being showered with anyone's affection but Fitz did it on the daily. Olivia bit down on her bottom lip as she waited for him to say something.

'Watch yourself, princess.' he warned cooly.

Her shoulders shrugged and she held in her giggle. She knew she was pushing all of the right buttons to get the response she wanted. They hadn't spend any time together since she spent the weekend at his house and she missed him. She missed being in his arms, she missed watching tv with him, she missed teasing him about his 'wrong' theories on literature, and she missed the way it felt when he was on top of her. Her nervousness about being around her brothers and family was vastly overshadowed by her excitement of being with him.

After making a quick stop by the restaurant the driver started on his way to Lucas' house. It wasn't until they got on the highway that her nerves started to get bad. Olivia stared out of the window biting the inside of her cheek and tapping her fingers on the top of her thighs as she tried to calm herself down. She had played out what would happen when she finally made it home over 1,000 times in her head but she still wasn't prepared. She hadn't personally spoken to Lucas since their phone conversation a few weeks ago and she didn't know how he'd react to seeing her.

Fitz reached over to her with his right hand and placed it on top of hers, the gesture nearly startling her as it brought her out of her trance. She looked over at him and he gave her a small, reassuring smile. In the short time they had been dating he had learned to read her posture and body language and he could tell she was a little on edge.

'You're worrying about nothing, Olivia.' he said, breaking the silence in the car. He moved his hand in small, soothing circles on her inner thigh hoping to calm her.

'It's something.' she chuckled humorlessly. 'This is a lot of pressure.'

'They're your family. I'm sure they'll all be excited to see you and we're going to have a great weekend.' he reassured her for what seemed like the 100th time since they bought their plane tickets.

'You're right.' she mumbled and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.

'I usually am.' he smugly teased even though they both knew that wasn't true.

'Don't push it, Grant.' she said rolling her eyes and pushing his hand off of her thigh.

By the time they made it to the property it was around 11pm and the smell of the food had them both starving. Olivia instructed the driver to pull down a dark dirt rode until they reached a black metal fence. It had a code that could be punched it and she let down the window to put in the number combination and it immediately opened for them. There was a steep hill to drive up but the path was paved and well lit with decorative lampposts. Lucas had obviously done some renovations since the last time she was home because she definitely didn't remember all of that.

'You remember everybody's names, right?' she asked as the house came into sight.

'Mhhmm.' he nodded. 'Joseph, Henry, Kristopher, and David.' he teasingly affirmed but kept his eyes on the path.

'Not funny.' she groaned.

'Lucas, Aiden, Mason, and Jonah.' he corrected himself with a smile. 'Anything else you want to quiz me on, Dr. Pope?'

'No.' she sighed and reached over to take his hand. 'Sorry I'm being so crazy.' Olivia leaned over to his side and puckered her lips and he kissed her softly.

'It's alright. You're nervous. I'm just glad I'm here to provide support.' he pressed his forehead against hers.

Olivia immediately smiled and shut her eyes, enjoying their closeness. He seemed to always know the right things to say and do to make their little moments like these perfect. She could feel his lips press against the tip of her nose and she nearly melted in her seat. All of the sneaking around and stolen moments almost seemed worth it when she got to spend time with him like this.

Just a few seconds where she wasn't his teacher and he wasn't her student— only two people who were falling madly in love uncontrollably fast.

Lucas built the house on the property his parent's had left them sometime after he opened up his car dealership. While he wasn't married and didn't have any children, he had always prided himself on taking care of his younger siblings. When designing the layout he wanted to be sure that everyone had pieces of the house that they liked. Olivia had barely lived there for a year but she still had a small dance studio in the basement that went untouched now that she was away.

Fitz found himself in awe as they pulled up. The house was bigger than any of the properties his father owned and the small details put into the design of the home were beautiful. Right outside the front door was a large fountain, illuminated by lights in the ground, and an intricate design was etched into the concrete.

The Uber driver pulled up to the front door and put the car in park then got out to grab their bags out of the trunk. Olivia made sure to leave him a nice tip on her phone although Fitz still wanted to almost strangle him. She dug her keys out of the bottom of her purse and pressed it into the lock for the first time in years. She glanced over her shoulder to Fitz who had both of their bags in his hands.

'It's not too late to go home.' she quipped half jokingly.

'It is.' he chuckled. 'Open the door.'

She took in a deep breath and blew it out as she twisted the doorknob and it opened. All of the lights were off but she flipped the switch to illuminate the room. The floors in the living room were wooden and well polished and the brown furniture complimented it perfectly. There were pictures and plaques littered all over the walls and a very large trophy case sitting in the corner of the room that was full to the brim. Lucas liked to keep all of his families accomplishments on display just as their parents did before they died so when he designed his home he left plenty of room for their many successes.

Fitz placed their luggage down on the floor and rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the tension in his muscles. He had to assume that Olivia had exclusively packed bricks inside of her suitcase because it was extremely heavy. There was a small mudroom connected to the kitchen where they put their shoes on the shoe rack and hung their jackets up. The house was extremely quiet and she had to assume that everyone had already went to bed.

The kitchen itself was big and spacious with dark wood floors and marble countertops. There was a small informal dining area in the corner that had 6 wooden chairs and there were fresh flowers on the table used as a center piece. Olivia took their food out of the bag and went to warm it up in the microwave and raised her arms above her head to stretch. She was used to long flights but the built up stress from work and Lucas was causing extra tension on her body. Fitz sat down in one of the chairs at the table and watched as she grabbed utensils and cups out of the drawers and cupboards. A few moments later they heard footsteps coming down the hall.

'Good evening, Miss Olivia.' greeted one of the butlers. He was a small, short, African American man and his tight fitted pajama t-shirt helped to show off his protruding belly. The hair that was left at the top of his head was thinning and greying and his smiling face was heavily wrinkled. He took an extended glance at Fitz but quickly averted his gaze back to Olivia. He knew she didn't do much dating since her last relationship so he was pleasantly surprised to see her with someone new.

'George!' her face lit up as she took him in. She walked over to where he was standing and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. 'What are you still doing up?'

'I just couldn't sleep knowing that you were almost home.' he admitted, blushing slightly. He missed Olivia as much as her brothers did and he wasn't ashamed to show it as he kept her wrapped in his embrace. 'I wanted to make sure you made it in safely.'

'Oh, George.' her expression softened. 'You didn't have to stay up for me.'

'It was my pleasure.' he smiled and nodded his head.

Olivia gestured back to Fitz and held her hand out to him, a signal for him to get up and come over to where they were standing. She intertwined their fingers. 'George this is my boyfriend, Fitzgerald.'

George held his hand out for Fitz to shake it. He had overheard that Lucas and Olivia were arguing about her latest love interest but he didn't care. He was happy as long as she was happy. 'It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Fitzgerald.'

'The same to you, George.' he smiled and shook his hand then put it back in his pocket.

'Where is everybody else, George?' Olivia asked, her head cocked to the side.

'Mr. Mason stayed on campus tonight because he has class tomorrow morning, Mr. Aiden is coming tomorrow, and Mr. Jonah and Mr. Lucas have both retired for the evening.' he nodded his head to the staircase, gesturing to the 2nd floor.

'Ah, I see.' she nodded her head. She knew that Lucas was a night owl, he had always been that way, so she assumed he went to bed early so he wouldn't have to see her tonight. _Typical Lucas._ 'Well, we're just going to eat something quick then go up to bed.'

'And I'll take your bags upstairs to your bedroom. I personally prepared it for you.' he smiled proudly.

'Oh, you don't have to do that.' she shook her head. 'We can just carry them on our way up.'

George waved his hands as if brushing her comment away. 'Nonsense. I'm just glad you've returned, Miss Olivia.'

Olivia chuckled but reached to give him another hug before he exited the kitchen to get their bags. As soon as he picked her luggage up off of the floor he groaned loudly as he realized how heavy it was. 'I think I can tell which suitcase is yours, Miss Olivia.' he laughed lightly before walking up the stairs.

* * *

After finishing off their meals in the dining room they made their way up the stairs. The hallway was dark but she knew the path like the back of her hand so she held his hand and led the way. Her bedroom was on the other side as her brothers which allowed her for some extra privacy while she stayed there. The wood panels on the floor matched the ones downstairs and the walls were white but her bedroom door was teal and had her initials painted in cursive on it.

The first thing that Fitz noticed when she opened the door was that her style hadn't changed much over the years. Just like her apartment back in Boston it was obvious that she preferred simplicity over exaggerated decorations. The walls were painted heather gray and the carpet was so thick and plush he could've sworn that it would swallow him whole. There was a huge window with a daybed situated by it and she had a large vanity sitting next to it. It was still littered with old makeup products and hair brushes and the mirror was adorned with bright lights that could be turned on. Her king sized canopy bed sat in the middle of the room and it was littered with decorative pillows. There was a large television mounted on the wall and the dresser below it was painted silver.

Olivia flopped down on top of her comforter and stretched out on her back and grinned. 'I almost forgot how good this bed felt.'

Fitz walked around the room, curiously studying the things she had left around. He smirked when he found a magazine with a picture of a man on it where she had drawn red hearts all around his face. He held it up so she could see it. 'Michael Ealy is a hunk?' his eyebrows cocked questioningly.

'Hey!' she huffed and jumped out of the bed and snatched the magazine away, holding it tightly to her chest so that he could no longer see it. 'No making fun of me for things I did forever ago.'

He looked back on the dresser and realized that it was packed with old magazines and books but grinned when he picked up a photo album. 'Oh my gosh it's your high school yearbook.'

She groaned. Fitz had been in her bedroom less than 2 minutes and he was already causing trouble. He was like an unruly child in a candy store. 'Let's just go to bed.' Olivia begged as she tried pulling him back towards the bed.

'I want to see this.' he laughed and held the book up out of her reach as he began flipping through the pages to try and find her name.

'There's nothing in there to see. I was sick on picture day.' she lied to try and distract him but it obviously didn't work. Olivia hopped up to try and reach it but it was no use.

Fitz smirked and looked down at her as she struggled to reach the book in his hands. She was on the tips of her toes with her chest pressed against his as she struggled. 'Fine. I'll put this away but you have to show me something else.' he bargained.

'You promise?'

'I promise.' he nodded and put the album back down on the dresser where he got it from.

'Okay, fine.' she nodded and shooed him off so that he could sit on the bed. Olivia walked over to where her daybed was and pulled out a box from underneath it. It was heavy but it slid easily over the carpet. She threw an old album up on the bed.

They both made themselves comfortable against the decorative pillows that rested on the headboard and she opened up the album. Her mother's favorite thing to do when she was younger was to scrapbook so she had plenty of old photographs just lying around. She opened up the book and blushed when she realized the entire first page was just naked baby pictures from when she was maybe a week old. She tried to flip to the next page quickly but he stopped her and chuckled.

'You were very cute.' he commented as she took in her features. She had lots of black curly hair and her cheeks were very round and fat. Her eyes were opened up wide and bright as she took in whatever was surrounding her and it looked as if she was cracking a smile. His mind couldn't help but to wander to the future as he thought about what their baby might look like. In all honesty if they looked like her they'd be perfect in his eyes.

Maybe he was being a bit biased, though, since he thought everything about her was perfect.

'Moving on.' she pressed as she finally turned to the next page. The next few were of Lucas holding her and kissing her face and cheeks repeatedly. Then they came across a family portrait from when there was just four of them. They were all dressed alike in black shirts and acid faded jeans including Olivia who couldn't have been more than 4 months old at the time.

'That's my father, Eli, and that's my mother, Maya.' she said, pointing them out as if it wasn't obvious.

'You look just like your mother.' he said as he analyzed the photo.

His comment made Olivia smile. People used to tell her all the time that she was a miniature version of her mother and it made her feel closer to her whenever she heard it. 'My daddy wouldn't have liked you at all.' she commented casually.

'Oh really?' he asked with his eyebrows raised and his tone playful. 'And what makes you say that?'

'He always wanted me to marry a Marine.' she shrugged. 'Daddy said he never met a Navy man that he liked and God forbid one stole his daughter from him.'

Fitz chuckled. 'I'd like to think that I would be the exception to his standards.'

'I doubt it. You're not all that special.' she bit at him playfully.

'Watch yourself, Livvie.' he warned before nipping at her earlobe and turning to the next page.

Olivia smirked and rested her head in the crook of his neck as they flipped through the next few pages. There were a few of her crawling and walking for the first time and some of her playing on playgrounds and with other family members.

Near the end of this photo album she turned 3 and her mother had started to put her in different pageants and shows. She was dressed in big, gaudy dresses with her hair teased up and she even wore a little makeup in most of the photos.

'You were a pageant girl?' Fitz asked, holding back a laugh.

'Yes.' she smacked his shoulder. 'And I loved it. I wasn't joking when I told you my daddy said I was the prettiest little thing passed the Mason-Dixie line.' Olivia said smugly as she pointed to a picture with all of her trophies and ribbons.

The last picture in the book was one of her and her mother at the beach in matching swimsuits. They were standing in the sand with the water coming above their ankles but Maya obviously had a good grip on her waist to hold her up and they were both wearing huge grins. Olivia ran her fingers over the photos and almost shed a tear as she tried to recall the day that the picture was taken. Obviously she was much too young but she'd give almost anything to be able to go back and relive it. Fitz could sense a change in her demeanor and he wrapped her arm around her body to hold her closer, letting her know he was there just in case she needed to let anything out.

'She loved to dress me up like her.' she smiled, still not taking her eyes off the page. 'She used to tell me that when she prayed about having children all she asked God for was one girl that she could dress up like a little doll and take her shopping and paint her nails.'

'It seems she had a really good time doing all of that.' he lightly chuckled and pointed towards the pageant photos.

'Maybe a little bit too much fun.' she smirked and shook her head and took one last look at the photo before shutting the album completely and placing it back in the box. 'She was so silly. When I was in high school she would hide all around the house to scare us when she was bored and if the boys got in trouble with daddy she'd make funny faces at them while they were on punishment.'

He could sense she was getting some stuff out of her system so he didn't comment. He simply nodded his head and gestured for her to continue. Fitz knew she just needed someone there to listen to her in that moment.

'Daddy, on the other hand, was strict. Not on me because I was always his little girl. He only yelled at me once and I burst into tears and he apologized and took me out for ice cream.' she nearly snorted. 'But I remember one time Lucas left the house in the middle of the night and took daddy's car to see his girlfriend but he totaled it on the way home and when he found out he was absolutely pissed.'

'What'd he do to him?' he asked.

'He made him get up at 3am the next morning and run 10 miles and do jumping jacks and push ups. Lucas didn't come back inside the house until 12 that afternoon and he cried like a baby.' she grinned.

'That sounds way worse than anything my father did. He just spanked us and kept it moving.' he said, now very thankful for every spanking he got.

'That's why you're such a big baby now.' she jabbed.

By this point Fitz had had enough of her teasing. Using his body weight he quickly shifted them so that she was on her back. He moved so fast that Olivia barely had anytime to process what was going on before he had her hands pinned above her head and her body held down with his weight. She hid the smile on her face because she knew exactly what was coming next and she had been craving it all week long.

Before she met Fitz it was so easy to believe that she didn't need anyone else's love and affection but she soon learned differently. She actually craved it from him. Since they met there hadn't been a day that went by that she hadn't thought about being wrapped up in him with his arms cradling her body while she took in his scent. He felt like home.

She was brought out of her thoughts by his lips pressing against her neck as he attacked the spot that he knew would make her giggle and squirm. She tried to escape his grip or move her legs to try and get away but she knew it would be of no use. He wasn't going to let her go until he got his point across and she planned on dragging it out as long as possible.

'Stop!' she squealed although she didn't mean it. His original kisses were turning into small bites and she could feel his hot tongue dart out to meet her skin. Olivia felt a familiar tingling between her legs and she tried to clench them together as their moved shifted from playful teasing.

'Say you're sorry.' he requested lowly as he started laying open mouth kisses on her jawline.

'No.' she refused, knowing that she was just working him up more.

'Olivia.' he warned, his tone cool. He moved one of his large hands under her shirt and rubbed it over her taut stomach. It seemed like it had been forever since he got the chance to be close enough to enjoy the softness of her skin and he could feel his dick twitch in his sweatpants.

She moaned softly as the sensation from his kisses and his roaming hand was starting to haze her mind. Olivia tilted her neck in an attempt to capture her lips but he pulled away. 'Kiss me.' she requested breathily.

'Say you're sorry, princess.' he said as his mouth moved to the soft skin right below her ear and he began to suck. They had a rule about not leaving marks on one another but they were both caught up in the moment and it felt way too good for Olivia to try and stop him.

Olivia tilted her neck to allow him better access to the area he was in and her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. 'I'm sorry.' she hummed lowly.

Fitz sat up on his knees between her legs in complete awe of the sight before him. She was still laying flat on her back with her hands beside her head and her hair was splayed all over one of the sequined pillows that helped to decorate the bed. She hadn't worn any makeup that day but her face looked fresh and her skin was glowing. In his opinion he couldn't have found a more perfect woman and he hadn't even gotten the chance to unwrap her yet.

His favorite part about having her alone was undressing her. He liked to take his time and watch as her body reacted with anticipation on what he would take off next. With any woman he would just have her undress herself but sex with Olivia was a completely different experience. His hands moved down to the bottom of her t-shirt and he began to pull it up above her head. She sat up to help him and then threw it off to the side before flopping back down. She was left in a pretty little black bra with lace adorning the top of it and a matching bow between the cups.

Next he went for the tight fitting leggings she had worn for their flight. He began peeling them down her thighs then carefully slipped them down her calf muscles and to her ankles. After tossing the pants over his shoulder he lifted both of her legs and rested them on either side of his shoulders and removed her socks. Starting at the base of her ankle he kissed as far as his neck could reach then went to the other leg.

'Fitz.' she huffed lightly as she reached out to grab at his shirt, craving his skin on hers.

He chortled at her lack of patience but placed her legs back down on the bed so that he could pull his shirt off. Olivia licked her lips as he exposed his bare chest and abs to her then sat up. Her fingers gripped the waistband on his sweatpants and she pulled them down to his thighs revealing his semi erect penis. Her eyes widened and she grabbed the base of it with her right hand and cradled his balls with her left. Fitz groaned lowly as he watched her work her soft skin over his dick and precum began to slowly seep out of his tip.

She parted her lips and began placing open mouth kisses along the underside of his cock while he continued to massage his balls. Her tongue darted out to trace the vein that stretched from the base to his tip then she licked the fluids that were starting to run down his shaft. Olivia looked up at him and made eye contact as she took him in her mouth. She had never had anyone as big as Fitz and taking him all in would take some practice but once she made it as far as she could go she sucked her cheeks in firmly around his dick.

Fitz could feel this thighs trembling as she continued her ministrations. _This woman is going to be the death of me._ His hands traveled to the back of her head and he gathered all of her hair into a ponytail so that he could hold it back for her. He couldn't help but to jerk his hips forward every time she took him in.

Olivia released him from her mouth with a pop then went straight down to his balls. She sucked down on them and Fitz thought for sure he would fall over. He groaned loudly and threw his head back and she couldn't help but grin. She loved being spoiled and taken care of in bed but it felt amazing to know exactly what she needed to do to make him go wild. She worked her hand up and down his shaft, enjoying the sounds he was making.

He grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her away, his breath ragged as he tried to keep himself from panting too hard. She looked up at him with the most coy and innocent smile that she could muster and pretended like she didn't know what she was doing to him. 'I wasn't finished.' she protested as her eyes roamed back to his now fully hard cock.

'Yes you were. I wanted to be inside you when I cum.' he muttered and shifted his weight so that he could lay on his back beside her, his cock standing at full attention. He kicked his pants off and pushed them off of the bed. 'Come here.' he cooed lowly and grabbed the base of his dick, stroking it lightly.

She bit down on her bottom lip but nodded her head. Olivia shed herself of her bra and panties before crawling on top of him and situating herself on his lower abs. Fitz could feel her wetness begin to drip onto his skin and knew that she was ready for him. She braced her hands on his chest, running her fingers up and down his abdomen.

'I like this.' she murmured softly as she put her hand over his tattoo. 'It's so sexy.'

'Oh, yeah?' his eyebrows raised.

'Ya.' she nodded her head. 'You should get another one.'

'What should I get?' he asked as he lifted her up off of his body and helped her settle above his throbbing cock.

'Umm.' she hummed. 'My name.' Olivia grinned widely.

He chuckled. 'Your name?'

'Ya.' she ran her hand down the opposite side of his chest. 'You can put 'Olivia' all the way down your chest in big red letters.'

Fitz smirked but nodded his head. He used one of his hands to rub the tip of his cock up and down her slit and coat it in her essence. 'Whatever my princess wants.'

Olivia smiled bashfully at the use of her nickname. She started to slowly lower herself down on his dick, letting out a low squeal as she stretched to accommodate his girth. This was the first time she was on top and he already felt a lot deeper than he was before.

He licked his lips and watched her, his eyes roaming from her facial expression and back down to his cock being engulfed by her tight pussy. 'That's it, princess. Take all of this dick.' he encouraged as his need for her grew.

'Oh, fuck.' she squeaked as he hit her spot. She continued down until he was balls deep inside of her then brought her hips back up slowly. Olivia began bouncing up and down on his length as he filled her over and over again.

Fitz moved his hands back down to her hips to help control her pace. Once she began to speed up a little her breasts began to bounce and he was absolutely mesmerized. She had never been a screamer or even remotely loud in bed but she couldn't help it with Fitz. She had never felt so full in her life and it was enough to make a tear spill out of her eye. Her nails clenched down into the skin on his chest, scratching and tugging at hairs as she continued to ride him.

He pushed his hands between them and used his thumb to stimulate her clit. Olivia shut her eyes tightly and cried out, her movements faltering as Fitz watched her nearly come apart. 'Ohhh, baby stop.' she keened as her stomach began to tremble.

'Cum for me.' he rumbled lowly.

Olivia shook her head 'no' and tried pushing his hand away. She wanted him to find his release first. He had spent the whole previous weekend tending to her needs and she wanted to repay the favor. 'Not yet.' she choked out, trying to savor their moment.

Fitz could tell that she was fighting her pending release and chortled. Always so damned stubborn. He continued to rub her clit as her body shook on top of his. 'I want to feel you soak my cock. Let go, Livvie.'

That was all she needed to hear to make her entire body clench. Her jaw dropped and her brow furrowed as the waves of her orgasm washed completely over her. Olivia's body slumped forward but he sat up to catch her, cradling her body against hers as she recovered. He covered her face with affectionate kisses and ran his hands up and down her back massaging her muscles.

As soon as she perked back up Fitz flipped them so that she was laying on her back again. Her chest was still moving up and down as she caught her breath but she was ready for round two. Fitz laid between her legs, careful not to press all of his weight against her body, and slid back inside of her. He caught the back of her left knee in his hand and pushed it above his shoulder and her whole body jerked as his angle changed. She could almost swear he was in her stomach pushing around her organs.

His thrusts were slow and sensual as he leaned down to kiss her. They made out like two sloppy teenagers, their tongues in each others mouths and their lips slipping against one another's as Fitz held her body close to his.

'This pussy was made for me and only me.' he grunted lowly as he kissed and licked up her jawline and to her ear. 'This is my pussy.'

Olivia whimpered and nodded her head. She'd say just about anything at this point as long as he didn't stop.

'Say it, Livvie. Tell me who this belongs to.' he demanded.

'It's yours.' she cried out as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter to her.

'Good girl.' Fitz said as he moved back to her mouth to kiss her again.

She scratched and clawed at his back not caring that she was sure to leave streaks all over his skin. She couldn't help herself. Fitz was starting to go faster and he obviously had no mercy over her body. Olivia wasn't sure how he knew exactly what she needed when she needed it but she wasn't complaining.

Determined to coax another orgasm out of her he cupped one of her breasts in his hand and licked it before sucking her sensitive nipple into his mouth. She could feel her toes begin to curl and her resolve withering away once more.

Soon after she orgasmed Fitz spilled his seed inside of her. He pulled her leg off of his shoulder and pulled his cock out of her entrance. They had made a mess but it was worth it. He rolled off of her then stood to his feet to go to the restroom and get a towel to clean her off with. She smiled when she heard the water turn on.

He returned no more than a minute later with two towels. He handed her one that he ran cold water over so that she could cool herself off and he used the warm towel to clean in between her legs. 'Liv you are so fucking sexy.' he commented as he rubbed up and down her thighs.

Olivia blushed but smiled. 'Thank you. Come give me a kiss.' she requested, puckering her lips for him.

Fitz smirked and leaned forward and pressed his mouth against hers.

* * *

Fitz woke up the next day feeling extremely refreshed. They had fallen asleep cuddled together with her body gripped in his arms just the way he liked it. He subconsciously moved his arms expecting her to still be in bed but frowned when he found nothing but air. He allowed his eyes to open slowly and his brow crinkled as he realized that she definitely wasn't in bed. Before he got a chance to throw his little tantrum he noticed that the door to the bathroom was cracked and that the light was on so he assumed she was in there.

He walked over to the ajar door naked as the day he came out of his mother's womb and opened it widely. Olivia was standing at the bathroom counter washing her face when she noticed him come in and she had to hold in her giggle. Just like clockwork. There could be an earthquake outside and he probably wouldn't budge but as soon as he felt that she was no longer in bed he was wide awake.

'What are you doing up?' he groaned lowly. 'It's like 6am.'

'It's actually 7. And good morning to you too, handsome.' she smirked and put her towel down and started digging through her makeup bag to find her moisturizer.

Fitz walked closer to her and grabbed her from behind, his arms melding around her waist and his face in her hair. Olivia nearly shivered when she felt his dick press into her ass but she didn't move or push him away. She was a little sore from last night and thought it would be best if she had put on a tank top and some panties and now she was grateful. He would've surely taken her right then and there if there wasn't some type of barrier in between them.

'You didn't answer my question.' he murmured, taking in her scent.

'I woke up because I wanted to see Jonah before he went to school today.' she explained, trying to ignore her own building arousal. 'I wanted to make him breakfast.'

His head immediately popped up and he looked at her through the mirror. His eyebrows were quirked and his mouth was turned up into a grin. 'Oh, really?'

'Yes, really.' she cut her eyes at him. 'You seem surprised.'

'I am.' he shrugged. 'You never cook for me.'

'You never _let_ me cook for you.' she snorted.

'Well, were you going to at least wake me up so that I could participate in this wonderful meal?' his digits started to roam down to her soft thighs, squeezing them in his hands.

'I tried but you wouldn't budge.' she explained as she rubbed moisturizer on her skin then stopped his hands. She knew he wouldn't be able to control himself if he got too aroused. 'You sleep like some type of mythical creature, Fitz. I was shaking you and calling your name but it was like you couldn't even hear me. The only way I can get you to wake up is if I get out of bed.'

'What?' he pulled away from her and laughed. 'There's no way in the world that you were shaking me. I would've felt it.'

Her eyebrows raised and she turned around to face him. 'You seriously don't believe me?'

'Not at all.' he shook his head. He couldn't believe that he could sleep through something like that.

'I'll be sure to take a video of you next time.' she chuckled and moved to grab some clean towels from the cabinet. She handed them off to Fitz then gestured to the shower. 'Shower up.'

'So demanding.' he said, poking his bottom lip out as he walked past her.

Olivia smirked as she got a perfect view of his bare ass. If anything else Fitzgerald Grant was a beautifully sculpted man. She whistled as she watched him bend over to adjust the water temperature and turn it on.

'God I swear you treat me like some type of cheap meat.' he complained and stood up straight then used his hands to hide himself away from her prying eyes.

'You're so sensitive.' she smirked and walked over to him and stood on the tips of her toes to peck his lips. Before he could get too excited she reached behind him and smacked his ass hard. 'You're _my_ piece of cheap meat.'

'That's it!' he hissed and started pushing her out of the bathroom as she began to giggle uncontrollably. 'All you women are just the same. You only want me for one thing.'

'Aw, baby! Dont be like this!' she tried to push the door back open but it was of no use. He locked the door behind her and she nearly fell on the floor laughing. 'You have 15 minutes to bring your sexy ass back out here.'

'I want to go back home.' he huffed before getting inside the shower.

* * *

They made their way downstairs as soon as Fitz got dressed and Olivia was surprised to see all of her brothers except Lucas downstairs and sitting at the island in the kitchen. She wasn't expecting Aiden or Mason to arrive until later on that afternoon and yet here they were. She cleared her throat to get their attention and let them know that she was awake.

Mason and Jonah both quickly hopped up from their seats and came running in the direction of their sister. It had been years since they had the chance to see her in person so they were nearly clawing at one another to see who could get to her before the other one. Olivia laughed as Mason reached her first and nearly threw her up in their after hugging her tightly. His skin was a little darker than Olivia's and he had long dreadlocks that he had pushed up into a neat ponytail. With his big, swollen muscles it became obvious why he was the star of his college's football team.

As soon as her feet touched the ground Jonah wrapped her in his arms and began kissing her forehead and temples and lifting her back into the air. Although he was the youngest of the siblings he was the tallest standing at around 6'3. He wasn't as muscular as his older brothers and he had a baby face that kept all the girls at his school chasing after him.

'Liv I'm so glad you could make it.' he mumbled into her skin as he put her down on her feet.

Olivia smiled warmly at him. He had grown so much since she had been away. Pictures and FaceTime calls really did it no justice. She hated that she had missed so much of it. 'I'm happy I'm here Jonah.' she walked to the doorway where Fitz was still standing and grabbed him by his hand to pull him closer. 'Guys, this is my boyfriend Fitz.'

They had both been so caught up with seeing Olivia that neither of them noticed that Fitz was standing there. Mason immediately folded his arms across his chest defensively. He knew that she had a boyfriend but he wasn't expecting to see him so soon and now he was in his protective little brother mode. He eyed Fitz carefully before extending his hand to him. 'Mason.' he said, his tone ragged as he introduced himself.

Fitz nearly chuckled as he shook Mason's hand but he kept it together. He really couldn't blame her brothers for being as protective as they were when he acted the same way towards his own sister. 'Nice to meet you, Mason.'

Jonah actually gave Fitz a small smile before approaching. He realized how much pressure his sister was under and he didn't want to make the trip anymore difficult than it had to be. In his eyes as long as Olivia was happy then he was happy. 'And I'm Jonah.' he said before extending his hand.

Aiden approached them last. He was the middle child out of the group and had always been the most level headed of them all. Lucas and Olivia could both be hot headed and bickered a lot while Mason and Jonah tended to hold in all their frustrations until they were nearly bursting at the seams. He, on the other hand, enjoyed sitting back and analyzing situations until he could come up with a solution.

He wrapped Olivia into a tight hug, causing her face to be buried in his chest. He had lighter skin, resembling Jonah's, and his hair was cut nice and neatly into a fade. He had been working on growing out his beard and it was coming in nicely.

'Aiden let me go.' she said, trying to breathe.

Aiden extended one of his hands to Fitz to shake it. 'And it's nice to meet you. I'm Aiden.'

Fitz shook his hand and had to keep himself from laughing. He felt that she deserved it for the way that she treated him earlier in the bathroom.

Eventually Olivia was able to squirm away from the vice grip her brother had on her head. She smacked him on his chest and worked on readjusting her hair so that she could look presentable. While she was glad that their reunion was going good so far she knew that things may blow up in her face after this. 'Where's Lucas?' she asked, ready to get their reunion over with.

'He's in his study but I'm sure he's not doing anything.' Aiden replied, his tone now serious. He knew this was a sore subject for them.

She sighed but nodded her head and tried to mentally pump herself up although it wasn't working. Olivia took hold of Fitz's hand and led him down the hall to her brother's office. The door was shut and she suspected that he would be on the phone with a client but when she didn't hear him talking she knocked on the door and opened it.

She smiled as warmly as she could at Lucas who was sitting behind his desk. 'Hi, Lucas.'

'Olivia.' he acknowledged cooly as he stood to his feet and walked over to her. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head and allowed his lips to linger there. For weeks he had had all these plans of what he would do when he finally saw her. At first he wanted to wring her neck, but he quickly got rid of that idea. Then he thought about yelling and cursing at her to hurt her feelings and make her cry. His final thoughts were to just ignore her. He would just show his displeasure by being cold and distant while she was visiting. He knew that his indifference would make her feel terrible.

But all that went out the window when he finally laid eyes on her. It was no secret that he loved his family and it was hard not to miss Olivia when she had put so much distance between them. His heart nearly melted into the pit of his stomach when she walked into the office and the fact that he actually got to hug her again made everything feel so real to him. His little sister was finally home and in that moment that was all that mattered.

What struck him even more was how much she looked like their mother. With her high cheek bones and plump lips it was almost as if he was looking at an old photograph. She even used the same shampoo that their mother did and it was almost enough to make him shed a tear.

Olivia was actually surprised by how nice he was being but she knew it wouldn't last long once they had to discuss the Fitz situation. Lucas was the shortest brother but still towered over her. His skin was darker that hers and he kept his head cleanly shaved. When they were younger she would always tease him by saying that he could win a Taye Diggs look alike contest if he wasn't so ugly.

Lucas finally let go of her and turned his attention to Fitz who was standing behind her with his hands in his pockets. He studied him for a moment and had to make himself not say anything too negative. He knew that if the visit started off bad that Olivia would just leave so he needed to play nice for now.

'And you must be Olivia's student.' he said, not able to help himself.

'Lucas.' Olivia scolded lightly.

'I am.' Fitz nodded his head in confirmation then held his hand out to shake. 'But I'm also her boyfriend.' he said, his tone slightly challenging.

Lucas cut his eyes at Fitz's boldness but shook his hand. 'Potato, pohtatato, right?' he chuckled humorlessly.

Olivia rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't be able to wait a whole hour to start getting a few jabs in. 'Well, this is nice but I really wanted to make some breakfast before Jonah went to school today so we had better get to the kitchen.' she said, hoping that some separation would help ease some of the tension.

'That sounds delicious.' he nodded his head in agreement. 'I'll have to join you all after I finish up some stuff in here. I need to be in the office in a few hours

'Oh and Olivia.' Lucas spoke up before she and Fitz walked out of his study. She turned to look at him and he smiled. 'Welcome home, baby sister.'

* * *

 _ **A/N: So I know its been a minute and for that I apologize. I honestly hadn't realized how long it had been until I went to check something while writing this chapter. But I tried to make it a little longer instead of my standard 5,000 word chapters. It's also 2:30am as I'm uploading this so please forgive me for any errors. I can't catch them all lol.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed and please leave a review and tell me what you liked and what you think may happen next! Until next time!**_


	9. Drunk In Love

**NSFW**

* * *

'Well, that didn't go terrible.' Fitz said with a smile on his face as they made their way back into the kitchen from Lucas's office. He was trying his best to be optimistic for the both of them because he could only imagine how hard of a time she was having.

He slyly wrapped his arm around her petite waist, allowing his hand to rest chastely at her hip as they walked. It never ceased to amaze him how such a small and tiny figure could hold such a fiery personality. Fitz leaned in and kissed her temple softly.

'I mean he didn't try to kill you so I guess I could say it was a small victory.' she chuckled humorlessly and rubbed her hands together.

When they made it back to the kitchen they saw the other boys all sitting around the bar of the kitchen with plates in front of them. Olivia was the only one out of the bunch who knew how to cook and they all looked forward to a nice meal whenever she was home. They tended to just order take out all week long so something homemade was greatly appreciated.

The sight before her made her smile and roll her eyes. 'Why is it that you all expect me to cook whenever I come home? I'm supposed to be on vacation here. You should be taking care of me.' she teased lightly.

'Blah, blah, blah.' Mason said, banging his fist down on the bar. 'I'm hungry!'

Olivia passed by where her brother was sitting and tugged down on one of his dreadlocks hard enough to make him flinch. 'Watch your mouth, little brother.' she warned before walking over to the refrigerator to see what all they had in stock. It was no secret that her brothers would burn the house down if they tried using the toaster but she was sure that the staff kept some things on hand.

Fitz cautiously took the seat at the bar next to Aiden, trying to play it safe. He knew he needed to play his cards right to win all of her family over and he was really hoping they'd be easier than Lucas. Aiden seemed to be interested in his phone but Mason and Jonah spent time analyzing Fitz and trying to see what he was about. They both knew that he was the reason Lucas and Olivia were arguing but they had no idea why.

Unlike Olivia and Lucas who were both very stubborn and hot headed, Mason and Jonah were very laid back about situations that arose. Not this one, though. They were all very overprotective over their sister and although Fitz seemed like a nice guy they still couldn't trust him.

'So your names Fitz?' Mason asked although he very well knew the answer, cutting his eyes at him and folding his arms so he could lean against the bar.

'It is.' he nodded his head. He still found it a little funny that these kids who were almost half his age were trying to intimidate him. 'Fitzgerald Grant III.'

'And what do you do for a living, Fitzgerald Grant III?' Jonah asked, sassing his name back at him but keeping his voice kind of low so that Olivia couldn't hear them.

'Well I was in the Navy for a long time and I fought overseas but now that I'm back I manage a few of my family's investments.' he almost mentioned that he was in school to get his degree but he decided against that. That would be the first step in the rest of them putting the pieces together of their complicated relationship and he wasn't prepared for that just yet. He didn't know when he'd be ready, actually. They wouldn't be able to keep it a secret forever but things had been going pretty well so far and he didn't want to ruin it.

'Your family's investments?' Aiden asked, finally looking up from his phone long enough to participate in the conversation.

'That's right.' he nodded his head.

'So basically you spend daddy's money?' Mason asked, sounding a little more harsher than he intended.

Sometimes it was hard for him to stop the things that came out of his mouth but this really brought it out of him. He had seen first hand how hard his parents and Lucas had worked to get them to the point they were at now and it kind of bothered him to think that Fitz was just sitting at home and collecting a check everyday. Hard work and dedication was something that the Popes had always believed in.

'Mason!' Olivia scolded from the stove. She had been listening in on the conversation so she'd be ready to rescue Fitz if he needed her help but he had been holding his own pretty well. She was sure that he could handle anything the younger three threw at him but Mason was being a little rude.

Fitz chuckled and shook his head. 'It's alright, Liv. That's a very good question.' he turned his attention back to Mason. 'A few of the things I do is read grants for new businesses who need money, we give out small loans, there is a scholarship portion and I help interview applicants.. So, no, I don't just sit at home and spend money.'

The boys studied him for a moment then nodded their heads, seemingly satisfied enough with his answer. Olivia breathed a small sigh of relief, thankful that they just let the topic go. To avoid anymore awkward conversations she walked over to the speaker that was on top of the kitchen counter. Growing up when her parents cooked they always played music to help pep everybody up so she plugged in her phone.

'Any requests?' Olivia asked as she started scrolling through her music selection.

'Play that song mom and dad used to dance to all the time.' Aiden suggested as he stood to his feet. 'I was trying to teach Jonah the moves the other day but, unfortunately, he's inherited granddads 2 left feet.'

She nearly burst into laughter once she heard that. It was the family's inside joke that her maternal grandfather couldn't dance to save his life. He'd either step on somebody's toes or trip over his own feet and it was hilarious to watch growing up. Olivia reached the song and tapped the title and her music started playing through the speakers.

Aiden walked over to where Jonah was sitting and made him stand to his feet and took both of his hands in his. The homecoming dance was coming up and they had been trying their best to teach him a few moves so that he wouldn't make a complete fool of himself. Jonah sighed at the thought of another grueling practice session but decided to just let it happen. It also didn't help that they were doing it in front of Fitz but he tried to ignore the fact that he was there.

 _said i know that it's somebody's birthday tonight somewhere_  
 _and i know somebody's gonna celebrate tonight somewhere_  
 _(i know) one things for sure_  
 _(im gonna put on my dancing shoes) then imma hit the door_  
 _(and go out and step the whole night through)_

Fitz had never heard the song before but found himself nodding his head along to the beat. The moves didn't seem all too complicated as he watched Aiden do them perfectly but Jonah struggle.

'I give up! You've got granddad's curse!' Aiden declared as he released his brothers hands after getting his toes stepped on one to many times. 'He's literally saying what to do in the song! Step, step, side to side.'

Jonah blushed and looked down. He knew that there was no such thing as the curse but it still made him a little self conscious knowing he couldn't understand so simple. He could remember one time they were at a wedding and his grandfather fell fat on his face trying to do the Electric Slide and he really didn't want to turn out like that.

'Don't say that, Aiden. There's no such thing as a dancing curse.' she rolled her eyes and shot her brother a look over his shoulder when caught eyes with Fitz. He was still intently watching her brothers dance and he seemed to really be getting into the music.

Olivia moved the bacon she just made over to a plate on the counter then walked over to where Fitz was standing. She thought it was cute how he seemed to be trying to learn the moves in his head. She tapped his arm to get his attention. 'Do you know this song?'

'I've never heard of it.' he shook his head. 'What's it called?'

She smirked. 'Step In the Name of Love by R. Kelley.' Olivia took hold of his hand and helped his stand to his feet. 'The moves are super simple.' she explained.

The boys all crossed their arms and watched their sister try and teach Fitz the moves. He knew that Olivia enjoyed dancing but that became evident as her face lit up once she intertwined their fingers. She had mentioned before that she had danced all through college and that it was still one of her passions but it was amazing to actually see it in person. This trip was definitely revealing lots of her hidden layers and he was quiet enjoying it. He seemed to catch on fairly quickly which frustrated Jonah even more.

He groaned loudly and rubbed his temples. 'So basically I suck at dancing?' he asked, grumbling.

'No.' Olivia shook her head. 'You just have horrible teachers.'

'Hey!' Mason and Aiden huffed loudly.

She smirked and let go of Fitz's hands and walked over to where Jonah was and took hold of his instead. He walked back over the barstool and watched her try to teach her brother, laughing as she got her toes stepped on. It was amazing how carefree and open she was compared to yesterday when she was just a wreck of nerves.

'Hey, I think I'm getting it!' Jonah declared proudly looking down at his feet, making sure he wasn't messing any of the steps up.

'Well, I'll be damned.' Mason said in disbelief. He assumed his brother was a lost cause and yet here he was.

Lucas could hear all of them laughing and moving around from his office so he decided to join them and see what was going it. His heart felt full as he watched Olivia teaching Jonah dance moves. She was the closest thing to a mother figure he had in his life and he even seemed to smile a little brighter while she was around. It was the moments like these that he missed the most since Olivia was gone.

Life in general was a lot better when Olivia was closer and he wanted that back sooner rather than later.

'Breakfast almost ready?' Lucas asked as he walked into the room and made his presence known. He didn't have to be at work until later on that day so he fully intended on enjoying the morning.

Her smile faltered slightly when she realized he'd be joining them but she didn't let him see that. She couldn't stop him from eating in his own house but she sure wasn't going to let him know that just him being around bothered her. Olivia didn't want him to know that he still had that much power over her.

'Almost. Just waiting on the biscuits.' she responded cooly, not breaking eye contact with Jonah as they danced.

He nodded and sat at one of the bar stools across from Fitz who had barely acknowledged that he had come into the room. Lucas rolled his eyes at the dreamy look he had on his face as he watched Olivia dance but he didn't blame him. His sister was an amazing woman and any man who was worthy to have her was extremely lucky. As much as he wanted to hate Fitz, and he wanted to hate him, the feelings he had toward Olivia seemed truly genuine. So far.

As soon as the food was set on the table the boys all reached their hands in to grab things. Fitz grew up with only one sister and one brother so to see the ways that the guys reacted to having the food set on the table in front of them was shocking to say the least. He was going to grab something but quickly pulled his hand away in fear that it would be bitten off. The men he served with in the Navy didn't even act like this.

Olivia chuckled lowly and put a plate down in front of Fitz that was already prepared with food. She had a feeling he wouldn't be able to handle her brothers on the first day so she thought ahead. She took the seat next to him and smiled.

Fitz smiled widely and leaned over to sneak a quick, appreciative kiss on her cheek. Everyone at the table was far too engrossed in their meal to even notice. By the time they were done it looked as if a pack of hungry lions had just ravaged the countertop and had left little to nothing in their savage wake.

Lucas started eating but occasionally glanced up at them, surprised that they seemed to be in their own little world. They weren't saying anything to one another but they kept glancing back and fourth. It looked as if they were communicating telepathically and he nearly rolled his eyes. Clearly they were still in the honeymoon stage of their relationship.

'So,' Lucas started, grabbing everyone's attention. 'What does everyone have planned for the day?' he asked, looking directly at the couple.

Jonah smiled widely. He still wasn't the best at understanding social cues and didn't realize that the question was more posed towards Olivia and Fitz. 'Today we're going to be taking pictures for the newspapers. I was voted MVP of the team so they're going to interview me. I think it's a great opportunity, right Olivia?' he asked, glancing over at his sister and seeking her approval.

Olivia beamed. 'That's great news, Jonah. I'm so proud of you.'

Before Jonah could speak again Lucas interrupted him. He already knew about his photoshoot today. 'What about you two? Any big plans?'

'I was going to take Fitz to the food truck festival tonight for dinner and show him around town.' she said, her tone more defensive than necessary.

'Mhm.' Lucas hummed. 'Olivia you have a lot of other family in town that I'm sure are dying to see you. They've been calling all week trying to see when they can come visit.'

'Well, Lucas,' Olivia cut her eyes at him. 'We just made it in town late last night. We're still trying to rest up from our trip.'

Aiden could sense the rising tensions at the table and he decided that he needed to break it up quickly unless he wanted an argument to break out. He looked back over at Jonah who was in the middle of stuffing a biscuit in his mouth. 'So let's hear more about this newspaper article, Jones.'

Jonah grinned widely and began talking with his mouth full which made Olivia's face scrunch up. It was obviously one of the consequences of living with a bunch of guys. 'I get to miss 3rd, 4th, and 5th period and then coach is going to take us out for lunch.'

Both Fitz and Olivia were grateful that the attention seemed to be off of them for the time being. Once breakfast was over Jonah went off to school and Mason headed to the library on campus to meet up with his group for a project. He was studying chemical engineering which obviously made the entire family proud. His grades were pretty good but he was always such a knucklehead it was hard to believe that he was finally growing up. Aiden, who had been playing on a minor league baseball team in Tennessee, was going to go see some friends while he was in town.

Olivia and Fitz decided to sit in the den area and watch a movie. She had grabbed a blanket from her bedroom ad draped it over their bodies while she settled herself under his arm. She had never been the biggest proponent for cuddling but he enjoyed it and it was something about being at home that made her want to feel closer to him. Her legs were draped over his and her head was resting in the crook of his neck and she intertwined their fingers.

'You know..' she mumbled softly, grabbing his attention.

'Hmm?' he hummed lowly, glancing down at her. He could tell by the naughty little expression on her face that her mood had completely shifted.

'We're going to have the whole house to ourselves in a few minutes.' she mused with a cute smile. 'Jonah has practice after school and he wont be back until like 5. Mason has an exam to study for so I'm sure he's going to be gone all night and Aiden is hanging out with friends. You know what that means?' Olivia asked, her hand roaming down to his lower abdomen. He had put on a white button down shirt and she allowed her fingers to intrude through one of the openings between the buttons. Her nail briefly dipped into his bellybutton before going back to the hairs on his stomach.

Fitz exhaled as her soft, warm fingers rubbed small circles on his bare skin. She was beginning to stir up something inside and she knew exactly what she was doing. 'Tell me.' he urged, wanting to hear her say something dirty. It wasn't often he got anything inappropriate out of her but he always found it sexy.

Olivia tilted her neck up so that she could lick the outer shell of his ear. 'It means that I want you to take upstairs and bend me over the dresser and fuck me as hard as you can.' she whispered seductively.

His breath hitched in the back of his throat, a clear sign that he wasn't expecting her to be so blunt. She chuckled lowly, glad that she got the response she was looking for. 'Can you do that for me?'

Fitz's hand was resting chastely on her back but he slid it down further until he could squeeze a handful of her ass. He groaned lowly as his cock made a tent against his pants. This was starting to become pure torture and he needed her to stop before he carried her upstairs himself.

Before he could respond they heard footsteps coming towards the room. She grunted in displeasure and put a little space in between them but not before grasping his dick and pumping it a couple times. Fitz looked at her as if she had lost her mind, his mouth wide open. He wasn't sure what was bringing out her inner tease and he didn't know if he loved it or hated it. He was now painfully hard and he was hoping that it was Lucas coming to say goodbye so that he could leave for work.

'She's in here.' Lucas said from outside of the doorway.

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed as she wondered who her brother was talking to. She stood up from her spot on the couch to see what was going on. Before her mind could wander off to all of the possibilities, 2 women entered the den. They were older, maybe around 67, and they were dressed in matching outfits. They both squealed loudly when they met eyes with Olivia.

'Well, if it isn't the queen coming to grace us with her presence!' one of the women said as she came to hug her neck. She had an extremely heavy, Creole accent and her wide smile showed off a gold tooth in her mouth.

Olivia chuckled humorlessly at her comment. It wasn't a secret that nobody in her family was very happy with her move and they all made it very obvious to her. They all believed that she had become too 'uppity' or 'bougie' to come back home to visit and that resulted in all of her family sarcastically referring to her as 'the queen'. It didn't make it any better that she refused to visit which made her the subject of all of her relative's gossip. The most recent rumor was that she was a lesbian and too ashamed to show her face back at home.

'Auntie Modeste! Auntie Claudette! What a surprise.' she stated as sweetly as possible. She shot Lucas, who was still standing in the doorway, a menacing look. She knew that he must have arranged the visit and that he obviously did it on purpose so that she and Fitz wouldn't have any time to themselves.

Lucas gave her a slick smile and wink before waving and exiting the room. It wasn't that Olivia had a problem with her family, she loved them all dearly, but she really wanted some time to relax. They wouldn't be in Mississippi long but she would hate for them to return to Boston more worn down than what they left. This was still technically a vacation and she wanted some time to spend with her man.

The two women kissed Olivia all over her face, leaving red lipstick in her wake. Fitz sat on the couch watching them and trying to will his erection to go away. He wasn't sure how close Olivia was to her aunts but he didn't want to have a boner the first time they met.

Olivia walked them both over closer to where Fitz was sitting and smiled softly. 'This is my boyfriend, Fitzgerald Grant. Fitz, these are my aunts.'

The two women shot each other a look. This proved the lesbian theory wrong but they were surprised that he was white. Fitz stood to his feet but kept the blanket wrapped around his lower half as best he could. Olivia could only snicker. She could only imagine what was going on underneath that cover and she kind of felt bad considering that it was her fault.

'Well, I'll be a frog in a snake's belly.' Modeste mumbled as she looked him up and down, making Fitz stifle back a laugh at her very southern sounding comment.

He held his hand out to shake but the two women just approached him and began to inspect him closely. Claudette took hold of his cheeks and squeezed them together while Modeste reached to touch his hair. His nose crinkled but he stood still. He got a good smell of their perfume and it reminded him of something that his grandmother used to wear and his dick began to soften again.

'This one's a lot cuter than that last mosquito looking boy!' Claudette said with a huge smile on her face.

Her comment made Fitz nearly double over with laughter. Olivia hadn't spoken much about her past relationships but the fact that he looked better than the last guy gave him a huge boost to his ego. Olivia smirked and sucked her teeth, knowing that Fitz didn't need anymore compliments going to his already big head.

'Thanks, auntie.' she said, shooting him an apologetic smile. He seemed to be taking it all pretty well, though, considering that just a minute ago he was getting ready to take off all of her clothes. From what she could tell Fitz was actually enjoying all the attention and compliments. Typical.

Modeste took hold of his bicep and squeezed down on it. 'This one's strong, too!'

'He was in the Navy.' Olivia half bragged, causing both of her aunts to swoon dramatically over him as he flexed his arm.

'When do you two plan on jumping the broom?' Claudette asked excitedly as they turned their attention back to her.

Olivia blushed. She wasn't expecting for anyone to ask that question. 'I'm sure you guys had a long drive from Louisiana. There's some leftover breakfast in the kitchen if you're interested.' she said, shooing them out of the room.

Modeste and Claudette both got the hint that she didn't want to talk about it right then but they weren't going to leave until they got a clear answer. They decided that they'd let it go for now. Once they were out of the room Olivia sighed and walked back over to the couch where Fitz had already sat back down.

'I'm sorry, Fitz. I had no clue they were coming today.' she said, making herself comfortable against his side once more.

'It's not a problem.' he smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. 'I'm excited to meet your family even if that means they pinch my cheeks.' he teased.

'Be glad that the cheeks on your face are the only things that were pinched.' Olivia teased, making Fitz cringe. 'They helped to look out for us once our parents died but they moved back to New Orleans once we could all fend for ourselves. I don't know what we would have done without them.' she said honestly.

'Well, I'm glad they were there.' he said as he kissed the top of her head. 'But I have a question.'

'Hmm?' she hummed.

'What exactly did they mean by "jumping the broom"?' he asked curiously.

She snorted. 'It's an old marriage tradition. They were basically asking when we're getting married.' she explained, before shaking her head. She knew the thought would make Fitz eager since that seemed to be always in the front of his mind.

'Oh, really?' his eyebrows raised and a huge grin took over his face. 'I should go talk to them. I plan on having you walk down an isle pretty soon.'

Olivia blushed. She wasn't sure why she still got flustered when Fitz talked about their future together but it happened every time. He always seemed so cool and confident about it while just thinking about being married scared her half to death. She wasn't afraid of the commitment part, she was confident about that, she was just terrified that she'd screw something up. Deciding to shake those thoughts out of her mind for now she just buried her face in his chest.

They could talk about the future later. She just wanted to live in that moment.

Much to Olivia's surprise, and pleasure, her aunts didn't stay long. She assumed that they'd be there at least until dinner time but they decided to head out a little early, knowing that the traffic would be terrible today because of the festival downtown. Fitz sat in the den with the biggest grin on his face after talking to Claudette and Modeste. They both really liked him and they seemed to be more excited about them getting married than he was. Obviously they hadn't divulged into the complications of their relationship, that would've certainly ruined the conversation, but none of that was important right now.

Olivia returned to the den with a smile of her own. Other than Lucas, everybody in the family had seemingly taken a liking to Fitz. It wasn't that she ever doubted that they'd all get along but she definitely had her worries in the beginning. Breakfast was a little awkward this morning in the beginning but it lightened up towards the end and her younger brothers seemed to enjoy talking to him. She didn't want to label this trip too soon but she was pretty sure that she could mark this one down as a success.

'We need to start getting ready if we're going to make it on time.' Olivia said as she gestured to the time on her rose gold Apple Watch.

'You're right.' he nodded and stood to his feet.

He followed her up to her bedroom and sat on top of her bed while she worked on pinning her hair up. She was sitting in the seat next to her vanity.

'You can go ahead and take your shower and I'll just take one in the guest bathroom down the hall.' she suggested.

'What?' his eyebrows furrowed as if the thought had offended him. 'Nonsense. We'll just shower together. It'll save time and water.' he countered with a sweet smile as if he didn't have ulterior motives.

'Fitz I think we both know what's going to happen if we get in that shower together.' her eyes rolled.

Fitz stood up and walked over to where she was sitting. He his hands on her shoulders and began to lightly knead her muscles. He could feel some tension and a few knots but he figured they were there because of all of the built up stress she had about their trip. He knew exactly how he could help work some of those out. 'I get to wash my beautiful girlfriend's back and any other place she cant reach.'

She shut her eyes and hummed contently as his hands worked their magic. She usually hated getting massages but this felt absolutely perfect. She hadn't even realized that she was this tense. 'I think I can reach all my places.' Olivia tried to argue.

Using his thumbs, Fitz applied pressure on her back and she moaned softly. He had to hold in his chuckle as he watched her body go nearly limp in her seat. 'I think I can reach them better. I can reach all your spots.' he rumbled suggestively.

'Oh, baby.' she moaned again, making Fitz grin. She rarely called him any type of nickname other than 'Fitz' and he was glad he was having this affect on her. 'We're going to be late.'

'We wont miss anything.' he assured. His hands traveled from her shoulders and down her arms until he could take her hand in hers. Her eyes finally opened and she looked up at him. 'Let's go take a shower.'

Olivia finally nodded her head and Fitz used the grip on her hands to help her stand up from the vanity's cushioned seat. He led her inside the bathroom and turned on the lights, the cool tile nearly freezing the bottoms of their bare feet. The shower was situated right next to the toilet so he sat down on top of the closed seat and turned the water on. Once the temperature was adjusted just right he turned his attention back to her. Olivia was standing before him, in between his parted legs, and he didn't know what part he wanted to unwrap first.

Fitz began to push the fabric of her shirt up her body and he kissed her stomach as her flesh was exposed. He could only reach so far because he was sitting down but Olivia pulled it over her head then undid the hook of her bra behind her back. Next he unbuttoned her pants and she rested her hands on her shoulders while she stepped out of them. Now left only in a pair of maroon cotton panties, she shivered as his heated gaze roamed over her exposed body. He moved off of the toilet and got down on his knees before her. His calloused digits hooked into her remaining fabric as he pushed it down her thighs.

As soon as he got them all the way off, Fitz took hold of her leg and pushed it on his shoulder. Olivia struggled at first to keep her balance but he held her still as he looked over her exposed pussy. He made eye contact with her as he extended his tongue to lick up her slit. She could feel her toes began to curl and something deep down in the pit of her stomach started to tremble as her clit was stimulated.

He could feel her fingers dig into the curls on the top of his head and he was sure that he would lose a few locks of her today. Fitz groaned lowly as he tasted her, her sweet essence dripping down his throat as he ate like a man who had been starved. He sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked his tongue over it and used his arm to get a grip on her thigh. He didn't want her falling over and he could tell by the way that her thighs were trembling that she was getting close.

Olivia began to grind her throbbing pussy into his mouth, searching for her release as he continued to pleasure her. She was able to rest most of her weight on Fitz and was thankful for that because her knees felt like they were going to give out. His nose was pressed into her mound as his mouth continued to work over her body. As she neared her peak her eyes tightly and it seemed like every nerve on her body had just woken up.

When her orgasm washed over her body she moaned loudly and her body nearly went limp. Fitz gently put her leg back down so that she could try and balance herself on her own two feet. He kissed his way back up her body until he reached her face. Olivia immediately took hold of his cheeks and pressed her mouth against his and he slid his lips so that she could taste herself. Without breaking them apart he dropped his pants and boxers and then unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off to the side.

His hands were immediately back on her body once her was finished and he squeezed down on her plump ass. It was one of his favorite things to grab when they were intimate and he often fantasized about laying her across his lap and popping it just so he could watch it bounce. For now, though, he picked her up into his arms and she wrapped both of her legs around his body.

Olivia wrapped her arms tightly around Fitz's shoulders as he carried her into the shower and pressed her back against the cool tiles. He held her still while he used one hand to grab his cock and rub it up and down her slit, coating it in her essence. After her first orgasm she was craving his dick and she tried to move her hips to get him inside of her. He chuckled and shook his head 'no' and pressed his forehead against hers.

'Please?' she asked softly, a shiver going down her spine as his tip intruded. Her walls began to clamp down on him, eager to feel the rest.

'Please, what?' he asked, his own breath beginning to become shallow. His cock twitched and he had to keep himself from thrusting in her completely. He didn't want to lose all of his self control just yet.

She choked on the air caught in the back of her throat. He had never made her ask or beg for anything and her bottom lip starting to poke out in a pout. She usually hated doing that around him because he'd never let her live it down but she couldn't help it. Olivia huffed and connected their mouths once more, this time biting at his bottom lip and making him cringe.

Fitz let go of his dick and laid a firm pop on her behind. Olivia winced and yelped, surprised that she was getting a spanking. Her bottom lip poked out further and she whined, not wanted to admit that she kind of liked it. She knew it would only serve to stroke his ego.

'What'd we say about biting, princess?' he asked, his eyebrows raised.

He wasn't sure why on of her favorite thing to do was to chew the shit out of his bottom lip. Ever since the first time they made out on his couch after their 'date' at Starbucks, he had been biting him. One morning he woke up and noticed that there was blood on his pillow and that his lip was swollen and the clear culprit was asleep beside him with a serene smile on her face.

'Give it to me.' she countered, trying once more to grind her hips down into his engorged cock.

Fitz smirked at shook his head at her. She was going to have to learn a hard lesson about patience but not today. Today he was going to fuck her until she scratched up his back and left her markings all over his body. Without any warning he pushed all of his cock inside of her until he was fully sheathed.

Olivia's jaw dropped at the sudden sensation and she threw her head back. Her hands left his shoulders and moved to the wall behind her as she tried to adjust herself but Fitz held her still. Her head fell to his shoulder and he kissed the side of her face as he continued to thrust into her and stretch her walls.

Unable to grip the tile behind her, Olivia's fingers took hold of his back and dug her nails into his flesh. He ignored the sting of her scratches and concentrated on the way she felt. Being inside of her always felt like he was home.

They met their climax together and Fitz struggled to hold them both up as her entire body went completely limp in his arms and he released his seed inside of her. Olivia finally picked her head up and kissed him as he cock began to grow limp. She giggled breathlessly, a post orgasmic habit of hers that he found adorable, and ran her fingers through his hair.

'Did I get all those spots, princess?' he mumbled lowly against her mouth with a smug little smile.

'Mhmm.' she hummed with a smile and nodded her head. She nibbled softly on his top lip, causing him to chuckle.

* * *

That afternoon, just as Olivia had promised, they got dressed to go to the food truck festival. Despite the fact that it was fall it was still pretty warm outside so Olivia dug through her closet to find something to wear. She found a jade green pencil skirt that ending right above her knee and she paired it with a simple white v-neck shirt and matching flats. Fitz decided to just throw on a simple pair of jeans and keep on his same button down from before but she still insisted that they take 1,000 pictures before they left home.

'You look very handsome tonight.' Olivia said in a matter of fact tone while they walked hand in hand from their parked car.

'Wow.' his eyebrows raised in disbelief. 'I get a compliment tonight?'

Olivia laughed at his shocked expression but she understood. She knew she wasn't the best at showing her love and affection and compliments came far in between but Fitz seemed to take it all in stride. 'Yes, you get a compliment tonight.'

'Well, I'll be damned.' he grinned and sucked his teeth then glanced down at his outfit. 'I should dress up more often.'

'If you play your cards right then you may get way more than a compliment tonight.' she teased lightly.

'I'll be looking forward to it.' he responded as he glanced over her body, his eyes settling first at her exposed cleavage then around to way her ass was poking in her tight little skirt. He was excited about the food festival at first but now all he wanted to do was get her back home.

By the time they arrived the event had already been going on for a few hours and there were people everywhere. She was determined to make him try every piece of southern cuisine on the menu even if it gave him a heart attack in process. She usually wouldn't indulge herself with such greasy foods but she knew she could go back on her diet once she returned to Boston. The scale in her bathroom was bound to hurt her feelings when she got home.

She dropped him off at a free table then went to get their food. He was expecting her to just bring back a plate or two but she returned with two trays full of food. Olivia set them both down on the table and sat across from him. Typically she ate like a 'bird', as Fitz would describe it, so he had a feeling they'd either be taking all of this home or he'd be responsible for eating it before they left.

'Um, what is that?' Fitz asked, gesturing down to his food on his tray.

'It's a donut burger.' she quipped with a smile.

'Seriously? These things are real? I thought this was just some internet joke.' his nose crinkled as he inspected it. Fitz loved to cook and considered himself somewhat of a foodie but this was a bit much even for him.

'Just eat it.' she urged and picked up her phone to record his reaction.

Fitz sighed but picked it up in his hands. 'It's so greasy.'

'You're being a little baby.' she mocked.

'Fine.' his eyes rolled before he took a huge bite of it, his eyes shut as he expected it to be disgusting. Much to his surprise the combination of tastes went well together and he actually liked it. He couldn't help the smile that rolled over his face as he chewed what was in his mouth.

'You like it?' she asked, smiling widely.

Fitz sighed in defeat but smiled back at her. 'I like it. It's pretty good.'

Olivia nearly squealed in delight, something she didn't do often, and slid him something else to try. She had also grabbed them a few drinks to try but it seemed that he was more interested in the food than anything. In the next hour or so they had finished everything on the trays and she had had most of the drinks herself.

Fitz had never seen Olivia tipsy, let alone drunk, so he was very amused at the sight before him. There was a live band there and she was swaying happily to music with the most serene looking smile on her face. She had her legs crossed under the table but she was purposely sliding one of them up and down his leg. Her voice went up a couple octaves higher and it seemed like she had developed a light stutter. He thought it was adorable.

'Fitz, Fitz, Fitz,' she called out to him from right across the table. Olivia stretched her hands out to where he was and clasped her fingers together a few times. 'Hold my hands.' she requested, her words slurring.

He chuckled and shook his head and reached out to hold her hands in his. It was starting to get a little chilly outside and her fingers were getting cold but her skin was still just as soft. Fitz squeezed her digits in his and smiled when she giggled in return. 'What is it?'

'Will you dance with me? I loovveee dancing.' she sighed happily then gestured over to where there were a few couples dancing to the music that the band was playing.

'We can go dance but I think we should be going back soon. You look a little—'

'I'm not drunk!' she protested before he could finish his sentence, already knowing what he was going to say. She was definitely drunk but she'd never admit it out loud. She hadn't done this in years and it felt kind of good to give way to the alcohol.

Usually she didn't trust anyone enough to be this way around. She was afraid someone would take embarrassing photos or videos of her, or maybe somebody would leave her alone somewhere, or her worst fear was getting taken advantage of. But, Olivia trusted Fitz. She knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

'You're right, you're right.' he soothed before standing to his feet to help her up. It was very obvious that the alcohol had taken over her system but he knew better than to argue it. She'd get punishment enough in the morning when her hangover hit her.

Olivia marched them over to the patch of grass that the other couples were on, her feet feeling light as she walked. She wanted to be in the middle of everything but Fitz stopped her before she could get that far. They'd have to push past everyone else to get there and it didn't seem like the best idea. He was glad he had only had a beer earlier that night so he could help keep her out of trouble.

The band had been playing upbeat pop the whole afternoon but now they had moved on to mostly slow jazz tunes and acoustic remixes. Olivia smiled and buried her face into his chest and took both of his arms and wrapped them around her waist while she struggled to grasp onto him. She had never noticed it before but his muscles didn't allow her arms fully engulf his body and while she normally didn't care it seemed like a tragedy to her in that moment.

Before she could complain he kissed the top of her head and allowed his lips to linger there. Olivia involuntarily smiled but he couldn't see it. As long as she could breathe him in then everything would be right in her world.

They didn't talk much while they danced and Fitz decided that they'd do it until she got tired or until the band stopped playing. They could never do this type of stuff in Boston so this was a luxury he couldn't afford to give up right now. They'd never get this time back and in a week they'd go back to sneaking around and not seeing each other for days.

During the third song she finally looked up at him and smiled. 'You know where I want you to take me on our first date?'

'We've already been on our first date.' he teased lightly.

'Fitz.' she whined loudly. 'I meant on our first real date. Not sweating our asses off at Talia's and getting food poisoning from warm orange juice.'

'Where?' he chuckled.

'To go see Beyonce.' she said with a confident smile.

His nose crinkled, surprised. 'Oh really?'

'Yes.' she said excitedly. 'I love her.'

Fitz scratched his head. He never payed much attention to the music she listened to and he wasn't ashamed to admit that Beyonce wasn't on any of his personal playlists. The only song he could really remember off of the top of his head was the one she did at the Superbowl which had something to do with getting ladies in formation. He also vaguely remembered his sister singing something about moving boxes to the left but he couldn't think of the name.

'If you want to go see Beyonce then I'll make it happen.' he nodded his head then leaned down to kiss her.

'You're the best.' Olivia squealed against his lips and he had to keep himself from laughing at her. It was very out of character for her to be this animated but it was refreshing to see this side. 'I have to teach you all the songs!'

'You know all of her songs?' his eyebrows raised.

'Yes!' she grinned widely. 'But when we go see her I won't sing Single Ladies since I'm not single anymore.' she held her pinky finger out to him to make a promise.

He smirked and intertwined his smallest finger with hers. 'You're adorable when you're drunk.'

'You're adorable all the time.' she tittered then puckered her lips, awaiting another kiss.

Fitz laughed and leaned down to kiss her again. Olivia took hold of his cheeks and held his head down to her while she used her tongue to lick his lips. Needless to say he was very surprised about her public display of affection. As soon as he tried to pull away she bit down hard on his bottom lip.

He winced but shook his head. 'Naughty girl. What'd we say about biting?'

'I don't remember.' she responded with a coy smile.

'You're going to make me bleed again.' he smirked and rubbed his lip, trying to take some of the sting away.

'Let me kiss it and make it better.' she said, puckering her lips once more.

'No, thanks.' he laughed. It was getting harder and harder to resist her attempts but he was trying to be strong for the both of them. He didn't want to take advantage of her while she was drunk but he could feel his cock twitching in his sweatpants.

Olivia huffed when he rejected her offer. 'You're no fair, Fitz. I want some sugar.'

'Why don't we just go home and I'll give you some sugar?' he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

'Where are you going to put it?' she asked in a low whisper.

'Anywhere you want it.' Fitz chuckled.

Her face lit up at the sound of that and she quickly wiggled her way out of his arms then took his hand and started walking them to the car. She was able to easily fight through the crowds then she threw the keys over to him so that he could drive. Olivia knew he wouldn't let her drive so it was no use in even fighting him on it. Fitz put the directions in the GPS on his phone then started on his way.

As soon as they made it to the highway Olivia got an idea. She reached over into his lap and went for the zipper on his jeans. He quickly got a hold of her hand to stop her.

'Little woman, what are you doing?' he asked, trying to keep his attention on the road.

'Nothing.' she sung, playing coy. She swatted his hand and away and got his zipper down.

Fitz raised his eyebrows but decided just to watch her. Her soft hand went inside the hole of his boxers and she pulled his cock out. She smiled and kissed his cheek before leaning over the center console and putting her face in his lap. Olivia ran her tongue a few times around the tips of his desk and he shivered.

'Oh, shit.' he hissed. 'Baby stop. I need to drive.'

She completely ignored him as she started sliding him down her throat as far as she could. He groaned lowly and had to keep himself from shutting his eyes and putting his head back so that he could just enjoy her mouth. Olivia put her hand at the base of his cock and held her hand firm as she worked to jack him off.

Knowing his weakness, Olivia kissed down his shaft and to his balls and sucked lightly on them. She enjoyed the way his entire body seemed to jump. She liked having this much power over him.

Fitz knew then that they wouldn't be making it home if this continued. He took his right hand off of the steering wheel and got a grip on her hair, holding her head down. He pulled off of the highway at the nearest exit and pulled over to the side of the road. After putting the car in park he was able to give her his full attention.

'You were going to kill us.' he groaned lowly.

Olivia looked up at him with a smile before licking her way back up to his tip once more.

* * *

The next morning Olivia woke up to the sun shining in her face and with one of the worst hangovers of her life. She didn't remember much of what happened after giving him a blowjob in the car but the sweet ache in between her thighs let her know that they must have had a good time afterwards.

After glancing over at her phone and seeing it was still early she decided to get up. She knew that Lucas was downstairs by himself because her other brothers tended to sleep late. This would be the perfect time for them to have their little 'talk'. In her eyes it was now or never and she definitely had some things to get off her chest. Olivia knew that Fitz slept like a rock but he had a habit of waking up whenever he didn't feel her weight beside him. Very gently she eased out of his embrace. He seemed to still be asleep so she pushed a pillow beside his body hoping that he'd cuddle with that until she got back. She ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower and put on a change in clothes and then tiptoed out of the bedroom.

No more than 2 minutes later, though, Fitz's eyes popped wide open. He wasn't sure what it was about sleeping next to her that made it so hard to stay sleep without her. He didn't know how long she had been gone but her side of the bed was still warm and the bathroom light was off, letting him know that she must have walked out of the bedroom. Assuming that she went downstairs to get some water or watch television he decided to go look for her.

It wasn't until he made it to the bottom of the staircase that he heard some voices. They seemed to talking low but he could tell that it was obviously coming from the Lucas' office. He followed the sound until he ended up right beside the door but it was shut. He wasn't going to eavesdrop at first but once he heard Olivia's voice he decided to stick around. Fitz knew that she was going to have to talk to her brother at some point and he was kind of curious to know how the discussion would go. Plus he knew that getting information from her could be like pulling teeth so this way he could just hear everything first hand. He could feel bad for invading their privacy later.

'Now what is it exactly that you wanted to talk about, baby sister?' Lucas asked as he poured her up a glass of her favorite tea then slid it over to her. He leaned over his desk, resting his chin on his hands as if he was intently listening.

Olivia rolled her eyes before taking a sip of the beverage. She was surprised he even remembered that that was her favorite flavor and she cursed in her head and she realized how well he knew her. 'Don't play dumb, Lucas. We both know what we need to talk about.'

'I don't.' he shook his head as if he was innocent.

'Either we're going to clear the air right now and you're going to drop the attitude you have or you can just yell at me again to make yourself feel better. The choice is yours.' she suggested as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

He chuckled softly at her motion. 'You look just like mom when you do that.'

She blushed softly but shook his words off. 'Stop, Lucas. Can we just get this over with?'

'Fine.' he frowned, the skin on his forehead crinkling as he did. 'First of all I'd like to apologize for out initial conversation. I was upset and angry but I shouldn't have spoken to you that way. You had every right to be upset with me.'

Olivia's eyebrows quirked in shocked. 'Seriously?'

'Seriously.' he nodded then smiled and chuckled, showing off all of his extremely white teeth. 'You don't believe me? I'm not a monster, Olivia.'

'Could've fooled me.' she muttered.

'Anyway,' he said, shaking off her sly comment. 'that doesn't mean that I like this situation that you're in. It's dangerous and risky and against everything father and mom taught us. They would've always done the ethical thing and I believe you know that.'

'It's not that simple, Lucas. It's complicated.' she sighed and shook her head then looked away, not wanting to get into too many details about their relationship. 'Everything's complicated.'

It was a long pause between the siblings for a few moments as neither one of them knew what to say next. Olivia didn't want to open up anymore than what she already had but Lucas wanted to know more about what was so 'complicated' about doing the right then. When he realized his sister wouldn't speak again without some prodding he tried changing the subject up a little bit.

'You could've told me you were bringing him.' he said, his tone now slightly annoyed. He had no idea Fitz was coming until George the butler let him know that morning.

'It was a last minute decision.' she responded honestly. 'But I wanted him to meet my family and he agreed that it was important.'

'So this— 'thing'. This thing between you is serious? You aren't just doing it for the thrill of it?' he asked, eyebrows now raised.

'I wouldn't risk my job for an adrenaline rush.' Olivia said pointedly.

'He seems nice, Liv.' Lucas said, finally sitting back in his chair and taking a sip of his own tea that he had set in front of him.

'He is nice.' she said defensively and cut her eyes at him. This was Lucas' little game that he played and she knew it well. He'd say something sweet and harmless then come back with something negative.

'Don't do this.' he sighed. 'Don't put up this wall. All I said was that he seemed nice.'

'But I know you. I know you're about to say something that I'm not going to like.' she folded her arms across his chest.

'I'm not. So far I like what I see.' he said honestly. Fitz seemed like an okay guy over breakfast but he still didn't like the fact that she was risking it all for this man. It was silent again for the next few moments until he spoke up. 'It's good to have you home.'

'It's good to see you guys.' she nodded her head.

'We miss you, Olivia.'

'I miss you guys, too.'

He sighed. 'When are you coming home?'

Olivia scoffed. She knew this was coming. Lucas was going to find a way to make her feel guilty about something and this was going to be it. 'I already told you that I'm not coming back here. I don't know why you keep asking me that.'

'You're our sister.' he said, his tone slightly elevated. He never understood why she couldn't realize how hard it was for them since she wasn't around. 'Do you know how it feels to have everyone here except you?'

She looked away from him once more, now peering at the wall as if it had become all so interesting. Olivia clasped her fingers together and twiddled her thumbs. 'I don't like it here. I feel numb here.'

'You don't think we're upset about it?' his eyebrows raised. 'About what he did to you?'

'Exactly!' she yelled, her tone now stern. 'You don't know how I felt and you'll never understand. It's impossible for you to understand!'

'Obviously you're not over it like you think you are.' he said lowly, knowing that he was testing the waters.

'Lucas I hardly ever think about that but being here brings it all back up!' she defended.

He studied her facial expression for a few seconds. 'Do you really like Fitz or is this just some rebound because of what happened?'

'Fitz isn't my rebound. He's sweet and funny and caring and smart and—' she cut herself off knowing that she could probably go on for hours about all of the many good attributes he had. She hated to admit it but she had definitely become one of those girlfriends who obsessed over their boyfriends but she wasn't ashamed of it at all. 'I've never felt this way about anyone.'

'Does he know about what happened?'

'No and I don't plan on telling him unless its necessary so I'd appreciate it if you kept your fucking mouth shut.' she cut her eyes at Lucas, letting him know she meant business.

'Olivia, I didn't mean to upset you.' his nose crinkled, only slightly surprised by her sudden outburst. 'He asked about you the other day. He wants to apologize.'

'He can kiss my ass.' Olivia retorted quickly. Before Lucas could open his mouth and say something else she didn't like she spoke up once more. 'Lucas I don't really care what he has to say. I finally found somebody for me and I'm not going to let my past ruin that. Fitz is a good man and he cares a lot about me.'

The room was silent once more for the next minute or so as the siblings just looked at one another and tried to find the right words to say. Lucas was honestly surprised that this wasn't just some type of fling that she was involved with but her feelings towards Fitz seemed to be pretty genuine.

'I think—' she sighed as she tried to get the words out. It would be the first time she ever said them out loud. 'I think I'm in love with him.'

Lucas immediately sat up straight and his eyebrows raised. He wasn't expecting to hear this from her. 'You think you love him? You think?'

She chuckled breathlessly and shook her head. It was her first time saying it out loud. 'I love him, Lucas. I'm in love with him.' she clarified more to herself than to her brother.

'Does he love you back?' he asked with genuine concern. The last thing he wanted was for his sister to fall head over heels for another man who had no intentions on catching her. He'd have to kill the next man that broke her heart.

'He hasn't said it but he does.' she nodded and couldn't help the dreamy smile that took over her face. Lucas almost smirked as he realized it was the exact same expression Fitz had when he watched her dance this morning. 'I'm sure he does. He talks about being married and having kids and moving in together and—'

'None of that means he loves you, Liv.' Lucas interrupted.

'I know.' she acknowledged. 'But it's not just that. He shows it to me all the time. I can't really explain it but Lucas I just know it. I can feel it.'

He smiled softly as he took in what she was saying. He had never heard Olivia speak this way about anyone so this man had to have been special. 'Well, then, we'll treat him like family. If he makes you happy, then he makes us happy.'

'Thank you, Lucas.'

'I love you. We love you. But if he hurts you then all bets are off.' he said, his tone serious.

'I love you too.' she returned his smile but decided to ignore his last comment. Fitz wouldn't hurt her so there was no reason to worry about that.

Fitz was still standing right outside the door and had heard everything that was said. He had so many questions. He didn't know who 'he' was or what he did to her or why he wanted to apologize and he had no way to ask. If he did then he had to admit that he was eavesdropping at the door. The only thing that brought a smile to his face was the fact that Olivia admitted that she loved him.

He was sure that she did but it felt completely new to hear her say it out loud and for her to boldly proclaim it to her brother. He wasn't sure if wanted to be on cloud 9 or worried about whoever this other man was and what he did to her. Fitz remembered that she had once mentioned a fiancé but she didn't speak on it and he definitely didn't bring it up.

Before he could allow his mind to wander to far he heard Olivia and Lucas standing up from their seats. Fitz quickly dashed away from the door and headed back up to the bedroom where she had left him. He was going to have to find a way to ask what was going on but he had no idea how.

By the time Olivia walked into the bedroom he was sitting up in the bed. She smiled and crawled in beside him and wrapped her arms around her waist. She felt 1,000 pounds lighter now that she had finally had her conversation with Lucas. She actually felt pretty good. 'Good morning, Fitz.'

'Good morning.' he said with a small smile as he wrapped his arm around her body.

They still had a lot to work through but Fitz felt that they were on their way.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Let me start this off by saying this is highly unedited. Like I usually dont do this but I wanted to give you guys something because its been so longggggggg. And for that, I apologize. But if you follow me then you know that I havent just been avoiding writing. I have a few other shorter stories that I've started and I think they're pretty good. I may be a little biased, though.**_

 _ **This chapter is long. I'm going to go back to the 5,000 word count but I had a lot that I wanted to do this chapter. Also I want to bring them back to Boston soon so we may do one more chapter in Mississippi then bring the babies back home. There's going to be a lot waiting for them there and I'm excited for you all to read it!**_

 _ **If you have a Twitter or a Tumblr then you should look me up and lets chat. I promise I dont bite lol. My name on both is lynalexandria so I should be fairly easy to find.**_

 _ **As usual please review and tell me what you think! Until next time!**_


	10. Confessions

**NSFW**

* * *

Fitz sat up in bed with the covers strewn haphazardly over his thighs as he watched Olivia move around the room and get ready for the day. Either he was really good at hiding his emotions or she just wasn't paying much attention to him because his mind was racing. He didn't know what to focus on first; the fact that She admitted that she loved him or that there was some mysterious guy out there waiting to apologize to her.

If he had learned nothing else in these past few months, though, was that Olivia marched to the beat of her own drum. She would only open up when she was good and ready and there wasn't enough power in the world to make her say anything before she ready. As much as it pained him, he knew he would just have to wait this one out.

The only part that really bothered him, though, was that she didn't feel comfortable enough to tell him her feelings or disclose what was going on. He knew their relationship was still pretty fresh and that they had a lot at stake but he never wanted her to feel as if there was something she couldn't tell him. He was elated to know that the feelings she had for him were mutual but he also wanted to hear it directly from her.

Fitz was brought out of his thoughts when Olivia plopped down into his lap and wrapped her arms around her neck, wearing nothing but a t-shirt, some panties, and a bright smile.

'Hey, where'd you go?' she asked, her head cocking to the side as she waited for his answer.

'Huh?' he blinked a few times and turned his attention towards her. Obviously his poker face wasn't as good as he originally thought.

Olivia chuckled. 'You just seem really spaced out. What's wrong?'

'Oh, nothing.' he shook his head. 'Guess I just need a few minutes to really wake up.' Fitz smiled and rubbed his face with his hands, hoping his answer would be good enough.

'Well, I think I can help you with that.' she murmured softly as she glanced down at his body, taking in his bare chest. She was still a bit sore from their romp in bed the night before but she had pushed that to the back of her mind.

Fitz's tried his best not to visibly cringe but it was hard. Usually he'd take Olivia anyway she'd let him but he had way too much on his mind today. He tried to play along and wrap his arms around her waist as she began to lay open mouth kisses up his neck but it just didn't feel right. He just had so many questions that were left unanswered and no way to ask them so it was really bothering him.

Olivia noticed that she wasn't having her usual affect on him but didn't think much of it at first. She moved down his jawline and then up to his mouth and bit down on his top lip. Typically Fitz would be all over her by this point but he just continued to kiss her. After a few moments of no reaction she pulled away and frowned.

'What's wrong?' she asked with her eyebrows furrowed.

Fitz cursed himself for not being able to better fake his feelings but knew he had to come up with something. 'I'm sorry, Liv. I guess I'm just really not in the mood.'

Her eyebrows raised. Olivia didn't ever think Fitz could 'not be in the mood' so this was pretty shocking. 'Are you sure you're okay?'

Frustrated with her questions and trying to keep his composure, Fitz pulled away. 'Olivia, I said I'm fine. Just drop it.' he said, not yelling but his tone firm.

Olivia's brows raised in surprise at his calloused response but decided that it was definitely the time to leave the situation alone. It seemed silly but her first thought was that she had done something wrong and that Fitz just didn't want to be with her right then or that he was upset with her. She looked away from his gaze and slid off of his lap. She didn't say another word as she turned to walk to the bathroom.

When he saw the look on Olivia's face he knew he had been too harsh and he had to find a way to fix things quickly. He hadn't seen her expression so glum since she and Lucas had had their fight a couple of weeks ago and he hated that he was the cause of it. Fitz reached out and took hold of her hand before she could get too far away and pulled her back to the bed. She turned her head so she wouldn't have to meet his gaze and he sighed.

'Liv, can you look at me please?' he asked calmly.

'I just really want to go take my shower now. I'm sorry for pushing you too far.' she said apologetically.

'Livvie.' he called softly. When she still didn't respond he kept trying, keeping the grip on her hand and rubbing tops of her fingers with his thumbs. 'Livvie. Princess.' Fitz cooed.

When Olivia looked towards him she was met with a warm smile. While she was glad that he was no longer upset, she was more confused as ever as to why he seemed so hot and cold this morning. It wasn't like Fitz to be moody or to lash out so she knew something had to be up.

'Fitz, why cant you just talk to me? What's really going on?' she asked, her voice still teetering on the side of cautiousness.

Fitz thought about coming right out about what had happened right then but decided not to. It just wasn't his place to bring something like this up. 'I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that. I'm not feeling well this morning and I just really wasn't in the mood.' he lied.

'Aw.' she hummed. 'What's wrong?'

'It's just um.. Just a stomach ache. I probably just ate way too much last night.' he held onto his stomach with his freehand to try and make his lie seem more believable. In all honestly he had eaten all of his food and most of hers at the food truck roundup the night before so he was surprised he didn't have an actual stomach ache.

'I'll go downstairs and get you something.' Olivia patted his hand, prompting him to let go. 'I was going to go out to eat today with some old friends but I can stay here if you need me to.' she offered.

'No.' he shook his head. It was bad enough that he was lying, he didn't want her to miss her brunch, too. 'I'll be fine here. I just need to sleep it off and I'll be all ready to go before Jonah's game tonight.' he assured.

'Are you sure?' she asked once more after giving him a glance over as if she was inspecting him for visible damage. 'I don't mind.'

'I'm positive.' he nodded. 'I want you to have a good time. I'll meet your friends later.'

Olivia finally smirked, her eyebrows quirking. 'Who said I was going to invite you to brunch with us today? We're going to be having girl talk and I don't need you snooping around.'

Fitz lightly scoffed. 'Are you serious?'

'Very.' she nodded her head in confirmation.

'Will this girl talk have something to do with me?' he asked curiously but he already knew the answer.

'Maybe.' Olivia shrugged. 'But probably not. You remember Officer Young from campus? He invited me out to dinner and I wanted their opinion on him.' she teased, knowing she'd pay for it later.

Fitz contemplated grabbing her by the waist and throwing her down on the bed but remembered he was supposed to be playing sick so he refrained. He simply chuckled and shook his head at her silliness. 'Do you not remember me putting him in a headlock and making him tap out?'

She fought back her smile from the memory. 'I remember it. His face turned red.'

'That's right.' he nodded. 'And I'll do it again if he comes too close.' Fitz said only half teasingly. He typically wasn't able to be very protective over her but Officer Young was a creep who probably deserved a good punch to the gut.

* * *

When Olivia was finally able to leave the house it was around 11 and she was running a few minutes behind to meet her friends. Because Lucas owned a car dealership he was loaning her a vehicle for the rest of their trip and she was glad she wouldn't have to take an Uber. While she didn't mind being chauffeured around it seemed like forever since she had been home and she wanted to take the scenic route to the restaurant.

She thought she had picked out the perfect outfit for her outing today but after tearing through her old closet she had changed her mind. While a lot of her clothes were consider 'out of style' and could probably be donated, she also found some stuff that she missed. She had only picked up a few pounds since leaving home so most of her clothes still fit her perfectly. Olivia decided to throw on her sorority t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, and some black Toms that she found in the back of her closet. She had noticed the way Fitz ogled the way her butt looked in her pants and made a note to pack them in her suitcase to go back to Boston.

Back in college The Green Grotto was a favorite amongst her small group of friends. It was rarely ever crowded and the food was absolutely delicious so they spent plenty of time there eating and drinking. At the time Olivia had a serious boyfriend and he hated when she drank anything alcoholic so she would usually refrain but she would admit there were a few Saturday mornings she would enjoy bottomless mimosas with her friends. She needed a way to decompress and that was it.

When she parked her vehicle she was pleased to see that their old hangout spot hadn't changed a bit. It was a stone building that looked a bit out of place in the middle of downtown and had green ivy growing up the walls. There were huge windows in the front that let in a lot of natural sunlight and there were a few old men playing checkers and chess while sitting outside of the building. Just as she did when she was in college, Olivia pulled a dollar out and fed it to the parking meter and when it returned her quarter she dropped it in the cup of the homeless man on the sidewalk. She made a mental note to get some cash to give him something more but it just felt nostalgic to recreate her routine.

The moment she walked into the restaurant she stopped by the hostess' table in the front and rang the bell to get her attention. When nobody came around after a few moments she decided to walk further into the restaurant and look for her friends. She had already seen their cars parked outside so she knew that they were around somewhere.

Olivia walked past a few tables until she found her friends at a booth taking to each other as they waited for her. She nearly squealed when she laid eyes on them but had to calm herself down as she approached the table. She thought that their reunion would be quiet but she should've known better because as soon as they saw her they both screamed and hopped up from their seats to hug her.

Jamie Alexander and Yasmin George had been best friends with Olivia since elementary school and were inseparable since then. They met when they were all living in Alabama on a military base and their families had become extremely close. Olivia's father had been deployed with both of their dads and it was only natural that they developed a friendship. There were times where they would spend months apart due to their families being moved around but they were never too far from one another and, usually, they'd end back up in the same places. When Eli and Maya died, Yasmin and Jamie's parents offered as much support as they could and were elated to find out that the girls would be going to the same college.

When Olivia was engaged they were her bridesmaids and when they had to call the wedding off they were the ones who stayed behind and helped her sort her life out. They were both hurt when she decided to leave the state and go the grad school but neither of them could fault her. It had been a very tough break up and they didn't blame her for wanting to go. They would've never approved, though, if they knew she was going to be gone this long. She called often and they would FaceTime all the time but it was nothing like having her back in town.

'Would you guys get off me!' Olivia facetiously huffed although she had her arms wrapped around them as well. It felt like it had been forever since she had seen them and she almost got a little emotional.

After their display caught the eyes of the other patrons they finally sat back down in their seats. Jamie and Yasmin both sat on one side and Olivia knew that it was on purpose. It would be easier to grill her down with questions if they could both stare her down from the same angle and boy did they have a lot of questions.

Olivia glanced down at the menu and was pleased to see that it was the exact same items as before. It looked like they had laminated them but hadn't put fourth the effort to print new ones and they were still a bit dirty even under the shiny plastic.

'Why didn't you guys bring my little munchkins? I haven't seen Lima in forever and this would've been the perfect time to meet David.' she asked, referring to their children. She was both of their godmothers and while she was never really around in person she always sent money and gifts and would talk to them often.

Jamie rolled her eyes. 'Livia you don't get it.'

'Don't get what?' her eyebrows raised.

'We have to deal with the kids all day long. Its exhausting.' Yasmin sighed a bit over dramatically. 'When you finally get a day to spend with your girls you don't want to have to chase kids around all morning.'

'In other words, we left them with their daddies so we can drink mimosas and curse when we talk.' Jamie finished pointedly.

Olivia chuckled. 'Fair enough. Are you guys going to bring them to Jonah's game tonight? I have gifts for them both.'

'I'm bringing David but I'm sure he's going to fall asleep on the car ride there.' Yasmin shook her head although she wasn't very upset about it.

'Lima isnt going to let me leave her at home.' Jamie rolled her eyes again. It had been a habit she wasn't able to kick. 'All she's been talking about all week is how Auntie Livia is coming back to town and how Auntie Livia is going to teach her how to dance like the majorettes and how Auntie Livia is going to show her how to do makeup and Auntie Livia is sooooo pretty. I could almost gag.' she teased.

'Sounds like somebodies jealous of Auntie Livia.' Olivia quipped back at her before taking a sip of her water.

'This has been great small talk but now we have real questions.' Yasmin said, breaking up their chit chat. She had always been a straight to the point type of person but Olivia and Jamie found it absolutely hilarious. 'First of all, who's this redhead bitch you've been hanging around that tags you in pictures calling you her best friend?'

Olivia nearly spit her drink out as she tried not to laugh. 'Her name is Abbey and she's one of my co-workers and we've gotten really close. She's super nice and I'm sure you're going to love her.' she assured.

'Mhm.' Jamie hummed. 'As long as she recognizes who came first here. We have a contract.'

She shook her head. The three of them had signed a contract to be best friends forever when they were in 6th grade and they still wouldn't let each other live it down. The document was nearly 2 pages long and at the end of it they all signed their names and used the ink from a pen to mark their thumbprints and Eli had even given it his official notary's seal for good measure. In their eyes it was as good as any other legal binding contract.

'I would never even think of trying to replace you guys.'

'You couldn't even if you tried.' Jamie said pointedly before fist bumping Yasmin, both of them wearing a satisfied smile. 'Next question; where is he?' she asked, looking around as if Fitz would simply appear out of thin air.

Olivia smirked as if she had no idea who they were referring to. 'Where's who?'

'Don't play dumb.' Jamie grinned as it became clear that Olivia was going to try and drag this out. 'Mr. Oh So Perfect who you brought all the way down to Mississippi. The guy that you swore to tell us about when you made it home because you ''just couldn't explain him over the phone''. she said dreamily in an attempt to mock how Olivia sounded.

'Mr. Oh So Perfect was a little sick this morning and I left him at home to watch a movie today while I came out to see you guys.' she explained.

'You left him at home with your brothers?' Jamie's eyebrows raised.

'Oh, hell no.' Olivia shook her head. 'Lucas left for work early this morning, Aiden swears he had something to do today and Mason and Jonah both went to school. He's home alone and in my bedroom so nobody would bother him in there, anyway.'

'Tell us more about him. What's his name? What's he do?' Jamie prompted.

'Does he drive a Bentley?' Yasmin added, snaking her neck.

Olivia snorted. 'His name is Fitzgerald Grant, he used to be in the Navy but he now writes and reviews grants, and unfortunately, no, he does not drive a Bentley.'

'The Navy?' Jamie folded her arms across her chest.

'Your daddy is probably rolling around in his grave. You know he never met a Navy man that he liked.' Yasmin chuckled and shook her head. She wasn't even Eli's daughter and even she had heard that speech 1,000 times before.

'I think daddy would've liked Fitz.' Olivia defended. 'Maybe not right away but I feel like they'd be able to sit in the same room by the wedding day.' she joked.

'The wedding?' Yasmin repeated with a huge smile on her face. 'Oh we have to meet this guy if you're saying the word "wedding".'

'Ugh.' she groaned but smiled and shook her head. 'It's the Fitz affect, I think. I didn't believe I'd ever be saying the word wedding again but since the very beginning he's been very clear about his intentions.'

Jamie pushed her hand out to Olivia and flexed her fingers. 'Hand over your phone. I need to see this guy and I know you have pictures of him.'

Olivia laughed and pulled her phone out of her back pocket. She had had the same passcode since she got a phone so it took only seconds for Jamie and Yasmin to begin scrolling to find her photo album.

'I hope there's no nasty pictures on here before we start scrolling.' Yasmin said but didn't even bother getting an answer as they began to search.

'There's nothing bad on there.' she shook her head.

After a few moments of looking it became obvious who Fitz was. They were both a little shocked to find out that he was white but neither of them had a problem with his skin color. As long as he loved Olivia for who she was and treated her the way she deserved then it didn't matter what color he was.

'He's handsome.' Jamie said as she zoomed in a photo of him, glancing over his crooked smile and strong jaw.

'He is.' Yasmin agreed before taking the phone herself and glancing at Olivia. 'What's wrong with him?'

Olivia's eyes rolled. 'Why does something have to be wrong with him?'

'Because you never once sent us a photo of him and you got into a huge argument with Lucas because of you dating him.' she reminded. 'Spill the beans, Pope. What's wrong with him?'

She sighed but decided to go ahead and tell them the truth. Even though they were both crazy, she trusted Jamie and Yasmin more than most people she knew. Olivia knew that her secret was safe with them. 'You have to promise not to say anything to anyone.'

Jamie waved off her concern. 'You know your secrets safe with us, Liv. We wont tell anybody.'

Olivia leaned into the table, prompting them to lean as well. She knew she was being a bit dramatic since they were currently across the country but it still felt necessary. 'He's my student.' she whispered.

Both Yasmin and Jamie's eyes turned as big as saucers when they heard the news. They sat back in the booth and for the first time all morning they were both quiet and at an absolute loss for words. Olivia sipped her water as she tried to read their facial expressions as they processed the information.

Usually they would discourage this type of thing but neither of them said anything negative. Olivia seemed to be head over heels in love with this man and it was going to be impossible to pull her away from him at this point. Not only that they knew that she had caught hell from Lucas when she told him the news and they didn't want to add anymore fuel to that fire.

'That's heavy, Liv.' Jamie finally spoke.

'How do you guys cope with that?' Yasmin asked.

'Its hard.' Olivia admitted. 'Really hard, actually. We spend more time apart than we do together and that sucks. I tried to resist it at first but he just.. I don't know. It's like I was trying to fight it then all of a sudden I started drowning. Not drowning in a bad way but drowning in like a really good way.' she tried to explain.

'Girl, that sounds crazy.' Yasmin shot her a pointed look. Drowning sounded more like being overwhelmed to her.

Olivia chuckled. 'I know it does but it's so true. Right now it's a secret and the only people that know are you two and Lucas. While we're at school we both stay completely professional. I try not to even call on him to answer a question while we're in class because I don't even want to raise suspicion. Sometimes we drive a couple towns over so we can go to dinner without looking over our shoulder every ten seconds and I've spent a few weekends at his house. My apartment is way too close to campus and we may get caught there.'

'How exactly did this happen?' Jamie's eyes squinted before looking back down at the pictures of her and Fitz together. It was only then that she realized that there were really only a few of them but she guessed it was because she had them hidden somewhere so people couldn't easily find them.

'Honestly it just.. Happened.' she shrugged. 'He came up to me after the first day of class and he flirted with me and I told him that his behavior was very inappropriate but, eventually, I ended up inviting him out to Starbucks and we went to his place after.'

Yasmin grinned. 'You slept with him after the first date? This guy must really have you hooked.'

'No, you pervert.' Olivia snorted. 'We went back to his place and we cooked dinner together and read some sonnets by Shakespeare and cuddled on the couch and ate sherbet. It was actually very nice.' she said in a matter of fact tone.

'Wow.' Yasmin's nose crinkled. Olivia had always been the nerd of the group so it didn't surprise them that her idea of a perfect date was reading together and eating dessert. 'As long as he treats you right then you know you have our support.'

'Agreed.' Jamie nodded before handing Olivia her phone back. 'I just really want you guys to be careful. You have a lot at stake here, Liv. You've worked so hard.'

'I know.' Olivia nodded. 'We're being extremely careful even if it means we're not able to see each other as often. I'd rather us be apart then together with no jobs and our reputations tarnished.'

'How much longer are you guys going to have to do this? Sneaking around doesn't sound like any fun at all.' Yasmin asked as she leaned forward in her seat, resting her chin on her hand.

'It isn't.' Olivia shook her head and laughed humorlessly. 'But, not much longer. He graduates this upcoming spring and after that I think we'll wait about a month or so before coming out to the world as a couple. He doesn't see the point in waiting a month but I think it's important that we don't raise any suspicions.'

'Seems like you guys have everything figured out.' Jamie added.

'We don't.' she grunted. 'We don't have anything figured out. We're just living it out day by day. He hasn't even told his family about us. They know that he has a girlfriend named Olivia but that's it. His family is really into politics and stuff so the last thing they need is a scandal.'

'Maybe that's for the best, Liv.' Yasmin shrugged. 'The less people who the better. Does he know about what happened?'

Olivia's eyes rolled, confused as to why this subject kept coming up. 'Lucas asked me the exact same thing this morning. Fitz knows that I was engaged before and that it, obviously, didn't work out but I didn't go into details. I didn't see a point. Why open up the past?'

'Livia, this is your first time back in your home town and you know that it's a possibility that you run into Edison while you're here. We just want you to be prepared if that happens.' Jamie said as soothingly as possible, noticing that she was getting a little worked up.

'What are the chances that we bump into each other while I'm here? Even if he hears I'm in town I know he isn't bold enough to show up at my house and if he tried something then Fitz would literally tackle him.' Olivia said, knowing that it was the absolute truth.

'He says he wants to see you and apologize.' Yasmin said carefully.

Olivia's eyebrows raised. 'That's the same thing Lucas told me. Have you been talking to Edison, too?'

'Absolutely not.' Yasmin blurted out quickly in an attempt to clear up all doubt. She had a long list of people that she could truly say she hated and Edison always was the number one. 'You know I wouldn't even want to look in his direction after what he did.'

'Edison sent us both messages trying to get your new phone number or to find out anything about where you are and what you're doing.' Jamie explained. 'He seems to really want to get in touch with you.'

'Well, that's nice for him but I don't have time to hear his sorry apologies after all these years. Fitz and I have enough going on without him trying to come and open old wounds.' Olivia said with finality, making it clear that she wasn't going to put fourth any effort to seek Edison out.

Jamie picked up her glass of water and held it in the air. She knew it was no need to dwell on the topic. She didn't blame Olivia for not wanting to see him but they didn't want to keep it a secret that Edison was trying to seek her out. 'To new beginnings, happy endings, and our final bridesmaid trip.' she toasted with a wink to Olivia.

Olivia finally smiled and raised her glass up as well, glad they could move forward from that part of the conversation. 'Here, here!'

* * *

It had been a couple of hours and Olivia still hadn't returned home from her outing and Fitz was getting a little bored from just sitting in her bedroom waiting for her. Obviously he didn't have another choice but he really needed to find something to do before he went stir crazy. He had already taken a nap, watched a movie,worked on some homework and even played a game on his phone and she still hadn't even called to let him know that she was on her way home.

Fitz flopped down on the floor next to her daybed near the wall and pulled out a few boxes that he knew had old pictures and magazines in it. He knew he promised her not to go snooping but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her and he also wanted to see some of her old memories. The first thing he found was a small diary but it had a lock on it so he decided not to tamper with it.

Next there were some Ebony, People, and Vogue magazines where she had circled pictures of different men and drew heart eyes around them. He couldn't help but chuckle as he flipped through page after page Justin Timberlake, Michael Ealy, and Leonardo DiCaprio. She seemed to be especially infatuated with Orlando Bloom but that part didn't surprise him. She had all of the Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings movies downloaded on her computer and now he knew why. Underneath that pile he found her yearbook from her senior year of high school and he immediately picked it up and opened it carefully.

He expected to find some embarrassing photos of her and was mildly disappointed when there weren't any. She was on just about every team that was at the school and she looked pretty good doing it, In one of the last photo she had been voted homecoming queen. She was wearing a royal blue dress that touched the ground that had a sweetheart neckline, a large crown on top of her head, and a huge smile that showed off her braces. In the picture all of the other girls were escorted by their fathers while Olivia had Lucas on her arm so he had to assume that Eli had already passed by then.

Whenever they spoke about her parents, which wasn't often, she never got over emotional and she rarely spoke about how hard it was when they first passed away. He had noticed that her coping mechanism was oftentimes to simply change the subject and move past the conversation all together. Although he was never given any great details he could only imagine how hard it must have been. Even now Fitz wouldn't know what he'd do if he lost his mom and dad and, yet, here was Olivia was living through it with a smile on her face. It hit him even more when he took in how young she looked in these photos.

Even though Olivia and Lucas were too young to completely step up for their younger siblings, they worked hard to keep them happy and put together. They had to grow up fast as they started to budget their family's money and spending to keep all of them afloat. Their parents had left them a large inheritance and it would've been easy to just blow it all in the first few years but they knew they had to be smart.

Obviously they had support and guidance along the way but the two of them strived to keep their family's independence just as their parents would've wanted. They tried their best to ensure that nothing around the house changed and they barely given anytime to grieve themselves. They made it a point not to cry or to be sad around Aiden, Mason, and Jonah. Things were business as usual in the Pope home and they ran a tight ship.

It was plenty of nights that the two of them would simply sit together in the living room and just hug each other and cry until they couldn't anymore. Even with all of their family around Olivia and Lucas felt like all they had was each other to depend on. They may have fought like cats and dogs but, at the end of the day, nothing would ever come between them.

Fitz shut the book and put it back down in the box before further digging through it's contents. He faltered a bit when he saw a white book with the word 'Wedding Album' on top and debated on whether or not he should open it. His initial thought was to put it back and to stop snooping but he then realized that it would maybe give him some insight on who this guy was that wanted to apologize to her.

The first page was a picture of a younger looking Olivia in a cocktail dress and an African American man who had his hand around her hip. Fitz tried his best to make out the details of his face but she had obviously taken a Sharpie and put an 'X' through him and that made him grin. He didn't like to think about Olivia being with anybody else, anyway, so the fact that she had crossed him out of the book gave him a little pleasure.

Much to his surprise, though, the rest of the pages were blank. He was a little disappointed because he was a bit curious to know more about Olivia's past but another part of him was relieved. Seeing her latched onto another man, even if he wasn't around anymore, would've made his head spin.

He contemplated going through some more books but decided to put it away. It seemed like a good idea at first to get some insight but he realized he'd only be hurting himself so he put it back in the box and slipped it underneath the daybed once more. Fitz got up and walked over to where his suitcase was and began to dig through the pockets until he found what he was looking for.

Fitz didn't smoke often so he refused to claim it as one of his 'habits' but, every now and then, he craved something to take the edge off. He had started while he was deployed and hadn't completely given them up yet. He knew he'd never hear the end of it if Olivia found out so he never did it around her and he doubted that she even knew. Even Jake thought he had let them go years ago but, honestly, Fitz was just really good at hiding it. He slid the pack into his pocket and walked downstairs so he could go outside.

The house sat on a huge piece of property and Lucas utilized every inch that was available to him. The back porch had 2 sitting areas, a large grill, and a small dining room enclosed with a mosquito net so they could have dinner outside without worrying about bugs. The deck was made of wood with a light finish and there was an amazing view of the pool but other than that there were only trees as far as the eye could see. Fitz sat down on one of the lawn chairs and allowed his body to sink into the floral patterned cushions before popping one of the cigarettes out of the box and lighting it. It was a bit windy outside so he used his hand to shield the flame and protect it from blowing out.

After one long satisfying puff he shut his eyes and sat back in his seat, content with just enjoying nature. He never got to do this while they were in the city because he lived in a busy area but it felt nice to just hear the birds chirping for once. It almost reminded him of his time fighting overseas minus the constant fear of being ambushed and the constant sound of guns.

'Those things will kill you, you know?' Lucas said as he walked onto the back porch, sliding the door shut behind him.

Fitz's eyes popped open when he heard the voice. He was supposed to be the only one at home so he was a bit startled to say the least. He sat up and shook his head. 'I don't smoke enough to kill me. Just enough to take the edge off when I need it.'

'Still.' Lucas shrugged before taking the seat next to Fitz. He had come home early from work so that he could take a nap before Jonah's game tonight. He attended every single one of them so this was basically his routine. 'I hope you don't do that in front of my sister. She's too good for second hand smoke.'

'I don't.' Fitz replied as held in the urge to roll his eyes at his accusations. Even if he did smoke around Olivia she was a big girl and could make her own decisions about whether or not she wanted to be around. 'She doesn't even know I smoke.'

'Good.' he responded before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his own pack of cigarettes. He took one out of the carton and held it out for Fitz to light it who looked a bit confused. 'I never said I had a problem with you doing it. I just don't want it around Olivia.'

Fitz simply shrugged and lit the cigarette for him. The two men sat quietly for a few minutes, neither of them even looking in the others directions. He thought it would be a bit awkward sitting out with Lucas alone but it didn't bother him much.

'Trouble in paradise?' Lucas finally asked before taking a long drag of his cigarette, still looking straight forward.

'Excuse me?' Fitz asked before flicking some ashes off to the side.

'You said you only smoke to take the edge off.' Lucas reminded him of his earlier statement. 'Is something wrong?'

Fitz simply shook his head. Lucas was the last person he wanted to go to about his relationship problems. As much as he and Olivia fought, he knew Lucas wouldn't betray his sister's trust and tell him about their conversation they had in the office. 'No trouble at all.' he lied. 'How about you?'

Lucas chuckled. 'I own the biggest car dealership in the southwest, all of my family is here staying in one house and my sister is risking everything she's worked for who a man who I'm currently smoking a cigarette with. I'm going to need to smoke the whole pack before I feel better.'

'Fair enough.' Fitz half smiled and laid back in his seat once more. He kicked his feet up on the leg rest before blowing smoke out of his mouth.

'You have a sister, man?' Lucas asked after a few more moments of silence.

'I do.' he nodded although a bit confused as to where the question was coming from. 'A few years younger than me. Her name is Breanne.'

'Pretty name.' Lucas acknowledged cooly. 'So you can kind of put yourself in my shoes and understand why I don't really like this situation y'all are in, right?' he finally looked over to him.

'I think I would've handled it a little differently but I do understand why you would be so apprehensive.' Fitz agreed. He had never thought about it from this perspective but didn't dwell on it. Breanne had worked for very little her entire life so she didn't have much to lose by dating anybody.

'She's strong, but she's been through a lot.' he said as he grabbed the lighter to light another cigarette. 'We're all we've got left, Fitz. I just want you to take care of her.'

'You've got my word.' he nodded.

'Then we wont have anymore problems.' Lucas blew smoke out of his mouth then reached over to shake Fitz's hand.

Fitz was a bit surprised by the civil gesture but reached out to grab Lucas' hand and they shook. He had to fight back his smile but on the inside he was elated. It seemed like things were finally starting to get back on the right track.

* * *

'Let's go Olivia!' Lucas yelled up the stairs and banged his hand against the wall a few times to try and get his sister to hurry it up. Jonah's game started at 6 but he liked to get there super early so that he could get a good seat. It was currently 4 o'clock on the dot and everybody was downstairs and dressed except for her.

Mason flopped down on the couch beside Fitz who was also sitting and waiting. He nudged him with his elbow. 'How do you put up with her always dragging her feet? It must be unbearable.'

Fitz chuckled and shook his head. 'I give her as much time as she needs. She likes to look perfect.' he explained.

'Hmm.' Mason hummed. 'Good answer, Grant.' he said approvingly before patting his shoulder.

'Olivia!' Lucas yelled again.

Fitz thought about getting involved but then decided against it. She seemed to be able to handle her own pretty well against her brothers and he didn't want to come between that. He couldn't even remember a time that he had gotten into an argument with his sister or brother but it was apparently a staple to the family dynamic in the Pope house. In its own odd little way, bickering seemed to be the way they showed their love.

'Jesus Christ, Lucas.' Olivia huffed as she began to lightly jog down the stairs. 'You're going to knock the entire house down if you keep it up.'

'Very funny, little sister.' he rolled his eyes. They were only two years apart but he always called her that when he wanted to remind her who the oldest was in the house. 'And what were you doing up there, anyway? Did you have to sew your clothes on yourself?'

'No.' Olivia half hissed as she walked over to the mirror and fluffed her hair out a bit but she was pretty happy with the final result. 'Not everyone had the luxury of sitting around the house since 1, Lou.' she quipped back at him. She had been calling him that since they were kids and it would still slip out on occasions.

'You would've had more time if you hadn't spent all day yapping with Jamie and Yasmin the entire time.' he rebutted as he grabbed the keys to his truck off the countertop. As they all began to walk towards the door he glanced back at Olivia. 'How's Jamie doing, anyway?'

Olivia snorted and shook her head. 'Very pretty, very good, and very much still married.'

Lucas grinned. 'She's still got it for me, Liv. I can feel it.'

'You're an idiot.' she chuckled.

They had decided to take Lucas' Escalade to the game today since there were so many people going. The ride was only going to be about 30 minutes long but he wanted everyone to be able to stretch and be comfortable. Aiden climbed into the passenger side of the truck, Fitz and Olivia took the middle row, and Mason insisted that he sit on the back row by himself. He had grabbed his blanket and pillow from inside of the house and was determined to get a nap in before the game started. Fitz wasn't sure how he was going to manage to fall asleep in the back of a SUV but by the time they made it to the end of the road he could hear snoring coming from behind his head.

Aiden and Mason busied themselves on the front seat looking for directions to the gym and talking amongst one another so Olivia turned to Fitz and smiled. There wasn't a seat in between them so it was impossible to scoot any closer so she simply rested her elbow on the arm rest and leaned towards him.

'Are you feeling better now that you've had some rest?' she asked.

Fitz cut his eyes at her initially but he quickly remembered that he was supposed to be sick and that he needed to play along. 'Much better, actually.'

'Good.' she smiled. 'You may not want to eat too much tonight at the game since you're just getting over your little bug.'

'Yes, mother.' he answered petulantly but she knew he was only teasing her. 'You look amazing today, by the way.'

'I'm just wearing a t-shirt and jeans.' she said, gesturing down to her outfit. Jonah had gotten her one of his school's shirts and she was pretty proud of wear it. It was maroon and gold and had and eagle soaring near the top of it.

'You look great to me everyday.' he shrugged and sat back in his seat but noticed the huge grin on her face. It reminded him a lot of the photo he saw of her in her yearbook with her braces and he found it kind of cute.

It was something about being home that brought a certain glow to Olivia and he was just starting to notice it. It seemed like ever since she had had her conversation with Lucas earlier that day she was walking around without a care in the world. It must have felt amazing for her to get all of her worries off of her shoulders but their reconciliation was killing Fitz. He had so many questions and now he was more than confused than ever.

By the time they made it to the gym there was hardly nobody there except for the people setting up the concession stands and the coaches with their teams warming up on the court. There were a few stairs to climb to get into the bleachers and Fitz allowed her to walk up first before following behind her. Lucas had the biggest smile on his face as he realized that they weren't too late to grab the seats on the very front row so that they could be close to the action.

Almost as soon as they sat down, though, the boys ended up going to do other things. Lucas, being the protective father figure he was, went to talk to the coach about tonights strategy. He knew he couldn't control the game or how they played but there would be a lot of scouts there tonight keeping their eye on Jonah and he wanted everything to go perfectly. Mason left his spot to go load up on snacks from the concession stand and Aiden had caught the eye of a pretty lady in the front foyer.

Yasmin and Jamie attended most of Jonah's games and knew how early Lucas liked to be so they arrived about 5 minutes later. Olivia had mentioned that they were coming and Fitz was excited to meet more people who were important in her life.

'Auntie Livia!' a little voice screamed as they heard little feet pounding up the stairs.

Olivia turned her head and grinned before standing to her feet and holding her arms out. 'My little Lima Bear!' she squealed back.

Lima sprinted forward until she was directly in Olivia's arms and nearly crawled up her body to hug her neck. She was almost 5 years old and a bit tall for her age but she didn't seem to notice it much. She had caramel colored skin and big brown eyes and a slender body. Her hair was in little braids and she was wearing the exact same tshirt that Olivia was and a pair of jeans. She attended the same school as Jonah but only went to Pre-K for half of the day and came home.

'I missed you soon much!' Lima said, kissing her cheek repeatedly.

Olivia sat down back on the bleachers and held her closely in her lap. 'I missed you, too. You've gotten so big since I've seen you last.'

Lima laughed. 'Auntie I see you all the time on Facetime. I'm the same!'

'I mean since I've seen you in person, silly girl.' she grinned and tickled her sides. Olivia turned her body towards Fitz and smiled. 'This is my boyfriend, Fitz. Can you tell him hello?'

Lima hadn't even noticed Fitz there, her mind being only on reaching Olivia. Her nose crinkled and she shook her head. 'Boyfriends are gross.'

Fitz's eyebrows furrowed. 'Hey! I'm not gross!'

'Ya you are. And you stink, too.' she declared and held her nose although she wouldn't have had a problem with him at all if she hadn't found out they were dating.

Olivia thought about rescuing Fitz for a minute, thinking that Lima was being just a bit too much for him to handle, but when he began to fake cry she could see he didn't need her help. She poked her arm and gestured over to him. 'You made Fitz cry because you said he was gross.'

'I'm so sad.' Fitz said pitifully as he put his face in his hands.

Lima huffed and crossed her arms across her chest and didn't even look in Fitz's direction. It wasn't until he started to cry louder that she finally turned to him and patted his head gently. 'Stop crying so much, Fitz.'

'Do you still think I'm gross?' he asked, his face still in his hands as he made sobbing noises.

She sighed. 'No. You're not gross.'

Fitz's head popped up and he grinned and started to tickle her. Lima screamed loudly in surprise and began to laugh and squirm around in Olivia's lap as she tried to get away from him. 'You tricked me!'

He chuckled. 'I'm sorry for tricking you but you were being mean to me.'

Olivia smirked and shook her head at their antics. 'Lima can you tell Fitz hello now?'

Lima smiled lightly and rested her head on Olivia's chest. 'Hi, Fitz. My name is Lima.'

'It's very nice to meet you Lima. You look very pretty.' Fitz complimented with a smile of his own.

'Just like my Auntie Livia.' she commented and wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist, content to be in her arms.

Olivia had never seen Fitz interact with any kids but she was oddly a bit turned on with how easily he handled the situation with Lima. He always talked about having a few babies but it made it seem all the more real now. She shook the thoughts from her head, though, knowing that that would be way off in the future. They needed to get through these next two semesters first then they could start talking about little ones.

A few moments later they saw Yasmin and Jamie come up the stairs to where they were. When Lima found out Olivia was inside she darted away from them to look for her and they didn't even bother chasing her. They knew they'd run into one another and here they were in each other's arms. Yasmin had David thrown over one of her shoulders and he was asleep just as she predicted he would be. They both left their husbands at home so they could relax since they had the kids all day.

'So you're Fitz?' Yasmin's eyebrows quirked as she sat beside Olivia, not even bothering to speak to her this time. She shifted David to the opposite side and held her hand out to shake. 'My name is Yasmin.'

Fitz shook her hand and smiled. Olivia had already told him basically everything it was to know about her best friends so he knew exactly who she was before she introduced herself. 'I hope you've only heard good things about me.'

'So far.' Jamie said teasingly as she reached to shake Fitz's hand as well. 'I'm Jamie.'

'Well, it's very nice to meet you both.' he nodded before standing to his feet. 'Would you ladies like anything from the concession stand?' Fitz asked, gesturing to it. He could see that Mason was buying enough to feed an army so he knew he should probably get something before they ran out.

'We just ate.' Jamie shook her head.

'Can you just bring me a hamburger and french fries with a soda?' Olivia asked although they both knew she wouldn't finish all of it.

'Coming right up.' he winked down at her and turned on his heel to head towards the stand. He thought about asking Lima if she wanted to walk with him but he already knew her answer. She seemed more than content to just sit in Olivia's arms but he couldn't say he blamed her. He'd stay there, too, if he could.

Yasmin shot Olivia a knowing look. 'Hubba, hubba.' she said suggestively.

Olivia scoffed playfully. 'Shut up, Yasmin.'

'Picture Fitz looks different from in person Fitz.' Jamie added with a sly grin of her own.

'Seriously?' Olivia's eyebrows raised. 'You guys are delusional. He looks the exact same.'

'He has such a deep voice.' Yasmin commented then cleared her throat as he lowered her voice in an attempt to sound like Fitz. '"Well its very nice to meet you ladies as well". He should host a radio talk show or something.'

Olivia laughed at their comments. She hated to say it but she knew that Fitz was like a magnet to most women. She'd never tell it to him but because his ego was already too big but he just seemed to ooze dominance and sex appeal that was hard to resist. It usually bothered her when other women shamelessly drooled over him but she knew Yasmin and Jamie wouldn't try anything.

By the time Fitz came back with her food David had woken up and he and Lima were now sharing Olivia's lap. They were both facing forward as they sat on her thighs and Lima occupied her time with her iPad Mini and David sucked on his pacifier and rubbed his eyes as he tried waking up completely. This was his first time meeting Olivia in person but he seemed pretty content sitting with her. He had olive toned skin and brown curly hair all over his head. His eyes were hazel like his mother's and he had a chubby belly that poked out and pushed his shirt up.

Seeing that her hands were now full, Fitz put the food down beside her. 'So what can you ladies tell me about my Livvie from back in the day?' he asked with a smile. He didn't expect to get much out of them about her engagement or anything like that didn't mean he didn't want to know more about what she used to be like. Plus, he didn't want them to only sit there awkwardly for the next half hour.

Jamie grinned. 'I could write you a whole book on some of the things Olivia did.' she teased.

'She was super popular and everybody loved her.' Yasmin pretended to gag. 'She danced, she sang, she was in the debate club, she-'

'You sing?' Fitz asked, surprised.

Olivia's eyes rolled. 'You two hush before you say something that's going to make me hurt you.' she threatened.

Jamie waved her threat off and continued to talk. 'Olivia tried shaving off her eyebrows in elementary school and she has a scar underneath one of them where she cut herself.'

'One time she Olivia blew on a dandelion but the wind blew it back up her nose and she accidentally swallowed it. She was scared that a garden was going to grow in her stomach that she called 911 to come cut it out of her.' Yasmin added quickly before Olivia could cover her mouth.

'Wait, are you serious?' Fitz asked in disbelief as he tried to keep himself from laughing but it became painfully obvious when he started turning red.

Olivia shook her head but made a mental note to make all three of them pay for conspiring against her. 'Alright, alright. That's more than enough out of you guys. This conversation is over.'

Jamie chortled but decided to leave it alone for now. She knew there would be other times to embarrass her in front of her new man so she decided not to stress it. Fitz was still holding back a cackle at what he had just heard.

'A dandelion babe? Really?' he taunted lightly.

'I hate you.' she murmured and shot him a stern look.

The small group watched the teams warm up before the start of the game and, eventually, Lucas, Mason and Aiden joined them on the front row once more. Jonah was in the starting line up so they actually announced his name and nearly the whole entire gym stood up to cheer for him. Much to Olivia's surprise it seemed to be a small pack of girls who began to squeal and holler when he came on the court and she couldn't help but scoff. He wasn't even out of high school yet and he already had fangirls with homemade signs.

Jonah ran to his spot on the court which happened to be close to where they were sitting. He glanced up to the stands and blew a small kiss at Olivia who pretended to catch it then he then paid attention to the game.

Occasionally during the game Olivia would cheer but her brother's made up for anything she lacked. Both of the kids insisted on sitting on her lap so she couldn't jump up and down like she wanted but Lucas, Mason, and Aiden were clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and occasionally yelling if they felt like it was an unfair call.

Fitz had never been much of a basketball person himself but he kept up with he game pretty well. He cheered when Jonah scored or stole the ball and he actually found himself a bit interested in the plays. Every now and then he'd glance back at Olivia who seemed to be watching intently as she ate her snack.

It seemed small but seeing her interact with Lima and David warmed his heart a bit. They had never spoken extensively about having kids of their own but they just seemed so content to be with her. Olivia would occasionally hold a french fry up to heir little mouths and they excitedly chewed down on each one she offered. Lima was still playing with her game but David was absentmindedly playing with Olivia's hair. She didn't seem to mind or care though as she kept her attention on Jonah.

Fitz knew he couldn't start thinking too far ahead but the thought still made him smile. After this year they'd be even closer to their own little family. A little girl who looked exactly like Olivia with little braids and burettes in her hair and painted nails and ribbon and bows at every angle and a cute little boy who had curly hair and sucked on a pacifier. The wait was going to be excruciating but it'd all be worth it.

By the end of the game Jonah's team had won 84-60 and he was the lead scorer and defender. He had plenty of people trying to stop him for interviews and questions but he quickly returned to the locker room to get changed and find his family. They were still sitting down in the stands and he fought through the crowd of people to get to them.

'Good game, bro.' Mason commended and patted his back. 'You did great out there.'

'Thanks.' he smiled but basically waved his compliment off. He didn't mean to be rude but that's not the opinion he wanted. 'What about you, Olivia? What did you think?'

'I think you did an amazing job.' Olivia beamed proudly and stood to her feet to give him a hug. He had changed into another shirt and his sweatpants so he wasn't as sweaty as he was on the court.

'Thanks, Liv.' he said appreciatively before hugging her back and holding her there for a moment.

Their exchange wasn't lost on Lucas as he watched them reconnect for the first time in a while. Olivia was really the closest thing to a mother that Jonah had and he tended to seek her approval in almost anything he did. He was glad they were having their moment together but it was still very bittersweet knowing that by this time next week she'd be gone again.

* * *

Fitz laid in bed on his back, staring at the top of Olivia's canopy bed. He was currently shirtless and Olivia was using his chest as a pillow, her little fingers occasionally scratching at the hairs on his chest. They had had dinner with Yasmin, Jamie and the kids at Olive Garden after the game and by the time they made it back to the room Olivia only had enough energy to take her clothes off and get straight underneath the covers.

When they first started dating Olivia would dress in her bra and sweatpants to go to sleep but it had become much less of a formal affair in the past couple of weeks. Usually she'd only keep on a pair of panties and put her hair up in a bun when she was with him and he was glad that she felt comfortable enough to do that around him.

The lights in the room had been turned off for hours but the open curtains allowed the brightness of the moon and stars to seep in and he was able to see things around the room. He thought about getting up and shutting the blinds but he didn't want to disturb her slumber. Olivia absolutely hated being woken up with the sun in her eyes but he liked to see her nose crinkle first thing in the morning as she shielded her eyes from the bright rays.

It was rare that he ever got up before her, it had only happened three times, but when he did it was magical. Every morning, before even opening her eyes, she yawned and stretched her limbs before burrowing herself further into the covers for at least 5 minutes. If she had somehow come untangled from his arms she'd hug onto his body and lay light kisses on his chest until she finally felt like opening her eyes. After that she would finally let out a soft string of 'Good morning' and finally look up at him with her big brown eyes. Fitz didn't think he'd never need anything else as long as he had her.

He finally glanced down at her sleeping form and couldn't help but smile as he took in all of the features that he had fallen in love with. He studied her face quietly as he etched her high cheeks and button nose into his memory. Her full lips were parted and he was sure he'd probably have a little drool on his chest when they woke up but he wouldn't mind it at all. Olivia currently had one of her legs thrown across his midsection somewhat possessively and he had his hand cupped around her ass. Her tiny figure seemed so peaceful and serene while she was asleep so it was hard to comprehend that she was causing him so much stress.

Fitz didn't regret following her downstairs that morning but he did regret sticking around to hear her conversation with Lucas. Even at dinner when they were all sitting around talking and laughing he couldn't help but feel a bit out of the loop. Everybody else had been around Olivia for years and he was sure that they all knew what happened. He thought it'd be easy to just push these thoughts to the back of his mind but it had been tough.

Before he could delve any further into his thoughts he felt Olivia begin to rustle underneath him. She yawned and rubbed her eyes but kept them shut. 'What time is it?' she mumbled.

He glanced over at her phone on the nightstand. 'It's 1:30am.'

'Okay.' she yawned again before sitting up and rubbing her eyes once more. She swung her legs over the bed and stood up to go to the bathroom. Olivia turned the light on and shut the door but left a small crack in it.

Fitz thought seriously about what his next move should be. If he went to confront her about what was said then she might have a bad reaction and end up being angry or upset with him for eavesdropping, but if he didn't say anything at all then it was going to eat away at his peace of mind. He didn't know how long Olivia would try and keep all this stuff in and he didn't think he'd be able to outlast her.

He stood up from the bed and made careful steps to the bathroom, moving quietly as he thought about what he'd say to her. Fitz decided that even if Olivia was mad at him for snooping, which she had every right to be, at least they'd be communicating. It could start an open dialogue about keeping secrets from one another and it'd give him much more insight on her past.

The problem was that he was walking towards where she was and had no idea how to even start the conversation.

Fitz opened the bathroom door wide and stepped into the doorway to find Olivia sitting on the toilet peeing. She was still half asleep but this woke her up completely. 'Jesus, Fitz! You almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing?'

'Olivia, we need to talk.' he said plainly.

'Can't it wait until the morning?' she asked, closing her legs up tight. She had Fitz did most things together but they hadn't gotten to the point of using the bathroom in front of one another so she was a little embarrassed.

He bit down on his lip, contemplating on whether or not this would be a good time to do this. Since he seemed to already be on a roll he had to keep it going. Fitz didn't know if he'd have the courage to do this in the morning. 'No, it can't.'

'Well, can it wait until I get off of the toilet?' Olivia gestured to the walls of the bathroom.

The right thing to do at that point would've been to just say yes and return to bed to wait on her but it seemed like he just couldn't stop himself. 'I heard the conversation you had with Lucas this morning.'

As soon as the words left his mouth he felt like a ton of bricks had just been lifted off of his shoulders. Fitz looked at Olivia expecting her to be angry but he didn't see any of that on her face. She looked more surprised than anything else.

She took a minute to process what he had just said then she nodded. 'Okay. We can talk about it. Can you just give me a second?'

Fitz nodded and stepped out of the doorway and shut the bathroom door behind him. He sat down on the foot of the bed as his mind began to race back and fourth about all the possibilities of their conversation. His absolute worst thought was that whoever this guy was had put his hands on her when they were together and he wanted to come back and make amends now.

Obviously Fitz would have to kill him.

Olivia took her sweet time in the bathroom wiping and washing her hands as she thought about where she needed to start. If he heard everything that was said then she knew that she had a lot of explaining to do. She found a t-shirt in the hamper and threw it on, figuring it'd be hard to take her serious if she was topless the entire time. After a few minutes of just looking at herself in the mirror she came out and into the bedroom and shut the light on.

'Okay, you wanted to talk. Let's talk.' she prompted before taking the seat next to him.

'I'm sorry for listening in on the conversation.' Fitz started with a sincere apology. 'When I woke up you weren't there and I went looking for you and when I heard you guys talking I figured it'd just be something about us.'

Olivia chuckled humorlessly and rolled her eyes. Fitz always woke up once she left the bed so that part didn't surprise her. 'Well, first of all, you don't have to apologize for that, Fitz. I don't want us to have any secrets and I can't think of anything that I can discuss with Lucas that I can't discuss with you.' she assured.

Fitz simply nodded. There were a few moments of silence between them as the tried to figure out how to tackle the elephant in the room.

'What did he do to you, Liv?' Fitz asked, finally looking over to her. It looked like she was looking for the right words to say but at this point he just wanted the truth.

'Well, I've told you I was engaged before, right?' she started. When Fitz nodded she continued the story. 'Edison was a.. Strong willed man. He got everything he wanted and if anything threatened that then he would throw his power around until he got his way.'

'When Yasmin, Jamie and I started college at Alexander in the fall we met a girl who's name was Halle. She seemed super nice and we adopted her into our friend group even though Yasmin was against it. She thought she was a backstabber but, whatever.' she waved that point off, not wanting to get sidetracked. She didn't like to tell this story so she didn't want to dwell on every tiny little detail.

'So the same year we all met Edison. He played football at Alexander and Halle and I both liked him. He ended up asking me out on a date but she said she didn't mind and I thought that she had gotten over it. Edison's family has a lot of money and his mother said it wouldn't have been a good look for him to date somebody beneath their wealth status. At the time, Lucas and I were balancing everything in the family and running the house so I was always busy making sure things were kept in order around here.'

'Because I was a dancer in the school's band I got to travel everywhere with the football team. One night we were all in Tennessee for a game and I had stayed out extra late with the other girls I danced with. When I made it back Edison was waiting for me. He grabbed me by my arm and threw me into the room.' Olivia saw Fitz's jaw begin to clench so she patted his knee. 'That was the first and last time he put his hands on me. Calm down.'

'He shouldn't have done it at all.' Fitz hissed.

'It's okay.' she tried to soothe before continuing. 'So, fast forward to the junior year and Edison proposed to me at his family's summer banquet thing that they threw. Obviously I said yes and the plans started immediately. After graduation we got an apartment together but I didn't really live there. I was still handling things at home and Jonah was still pretty young and he was asking me to stay so I was trying to hold out as long as possible. The night before the wedding, though, I went to the apartment to get something and I found Edison and Halle in our bed together going at it. I was so hurt but I couldn't cancel the wedding.'

'Why couldn't you cancel the wedding?' his eyebrows raised.

'I was a bit brainwashed by Edison's parents.' her eyes rolled. 'Calling the wedding off that late in would've been terrible for optics and plus we had already spent so much money on the caterers and venue and whatever else. All of our families were in town for the celebration and we just had this perfect dream life and I just didn't want to stop living the fantasy. Edison apologized and he promised we'd go through counseling right after our honeymoon was over.' Olivia shrugged. 'Basically I was young and dumb and thought I was in love.'

'Halle was supposed to be one of my bridesmaids but I kicked her out of the wedding that night. I told her not to even show up because I didn't want to look at her anymore. The next day Jamie, Yasmin, and I got through to the church and walked into the bridal suite and saw that it had been completely trashed. I had dropped my dress off there earlier that week so that it could hang and it was ripped. Obviously by this point I'm crying and trying to figure out what's going on so I try calling Edison but he didn't answer. The wedding was supposed to start at 12 and at 1 I got this really long text from him basically calling me a mean, bitch, rat, psycho, pig and that he didn't want me.'

'He did all this on the day of your wedding?' Fitz's eyebrows raised.

'He did.' she nodded. 'I found out that Halle had never really gotten over Edison the way she said she did. They had been sleeping together for years and he really loved her. His parents were the ones who made him propose to me. He was their only son and he was supposed to inherit their family's business but he needed a woman of prestige on his arm.'

'So they were trying to use you?'

'Exactly.' she nodded. 'But it didn't work out. Edison resisted what his parents wanted and he and Halle ran off to be together. I wish he would've realized it earlier but what's done is done. After everything was said and done I left Mississippi to go to Yale and the rest you already know.'

'What ever happened to them?' his brows furrowed.

'Well, from what I've heard, they ran to Pensacola, Florida which is only a four hour drive from here. Edison's dad died earlier this year so his mother welcomed him back home to run their company.' Olivia shrugged. 'Halle tried reaching out to me a couple of years ago but I wasn't interested in reconnecting.'

'Wow.' Fitz murmured as he tried taking in everything. 'That's a lot, Liv.'

'It was.' she agreed, studying his face and trying to read his expression. 'But I'm glad you know now. It was never really a secret but I just didn't know how or when to tell a story like this. You don't just causally say over dinner that you were one time left at the alter.' Olivia half joked, now trying to lighten the mood.

'Are you okay?'

Olivia waved off his concern. 'Fitz, I'm fine. I've been fine for years. Obviously being home brings up a lot of bad memories but I'm over it. I couldn't let that consume me. It took me a while and I didn't date for a long time but I just had to get over it.'

Fitz leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers and kissed her lips softly and she smiled and intertwined their fingers.

'Do we need to talk about the other thing?' Olivia asked. She hadn't gotten that she had declared her love for him to Lucas earlier that day.

He shook his head. 'Not unless you want to. We don't have to talk about that tonight.'

She sighed with relief. Olivia was already emotionally drained from telling her engagement story so going any further would've been brutal. 'Thank you.'

'Thank you.' he repeated back to her before leaning in to completely take her lips.

'Are we okay?' Olivia's eyebrows raised.

'We're okay.' he nodded his head and smiled.

* * *

They didn't talk about much of anything for the rest of the night. Olivia had fallen right back asleep after their they laid back down and Fitz was able to rest much easier now that his mind was clear. Apart of him wanted Edison to show up while they were on their trip so that he could beat his ass but he knew Olivia wouldn't approve of that. Honestly, though, Edison deserved whatever came his way and if it was a fist to the face then so be it.

That night neither of them had thought to shut the blinds so, just as Fitz had predicted, the sun's rays began to shine directly onto her face. He had gotten up just a few minutes before her so he watched as she shielded her eyes away from the light and pushed the covers over her head. He rubbed little circles on her lower back then slid his hand down to her ass.

'I don't want to get up.' she mumbled from underneath the covers.

'You're just going to stay in bed all day?' he chortled.

'Yes.' she answered petulantly, 'Are you going to stay with me?'

'Nope. Lucas and Aiden invited me to shoot guns with them this afternoon and Mason has a football game tonight.'

Olivia's head poked out from underneath the covers so that they could meet eye to eye. 'You would leave me here by myself to go shoot guns with Aiden and Lucas?'

'Absolutely.' he grinned. Fitz brought his hand up from her ass and rubbed her head, smoothing her hair down that she had haphazardly thrown into a bun the night before.

'You suck.' she groaned. 'I cant believe you don't just want to lay in bed with me all day.'

'Olivia, you're not going to want to stay here all day.' he laughed. 'At some point you're going to get hungry and then what.'

'Easy.' she brushed off before biting his hand that was now cupping her jaw.

'Ow!' he huffed and pulled his hand back. Fitz pulled his hand away to inspect for damage while she laughed at his misery. He didn't think he'd ever understand why biting him brought her so much pleasure.

Fitz growled and used his body weight to turn over on top of her and pin her down underneath him. He grabbed both of her wrists and held them above her head before attacking the ticklish spot on her neck with kisses. Olivia squealed and tried to free her wrists and kick her legs she couldn't manage to get away from his grip.

'Stop!' she tried to demand through her laughter.

When he refused to give in Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist and gently rocked her hips against his. He was only in a pair of soft cotton boxer briefs and she could instantly feel his dick twitch against her crotch. He grunted as his hips involuntarily flexed forwards.

'You don't play fair, Princess.' he mumbled against the flesh of her neck.

'Neither do you.' she buffed, still rocking her hips and very proud of herself.

Fitz had planned on teasing her a while but that plan was thrown completely out of the window now that he was getting hard. He'd have to wait for another time to teach her a lesson. He released her wrists and sat up, his dick standing almost at full attention.

Olivia reached forward and wiggled her hand through the small hole in front of his boxers and gripped his shaft. Her hand moved back and fourth all the way from his head and down to his base as precum to leak from his tip. Fitz groaned lowly and shut his eyes as he got caught up in how good her soft fingers felt against his manhood. She used her other hand to grab his balls and massage them and his body shivered.

'Fuck.' he murmured and grabbed her hand. She knew his balls were sensitive but he didn't want to cum yet. 'Stop that.'

'I didn't do anything.' she said coyly. Olivia freed her wrist and went straight for the hem of his boxers and began to pull them down his hips.

Fitz helped her get his boxers off and watched as her eyes widened at the sight of his cock. He sat back on the bed and helped her sit up. Olivia took off the t-shirt she had put on earlier than night and threw it to the side, now left only in a pair of panties. He reached to try and undress her completely but she swatted his hands away. Instead she laid down on her stomach in between his parted legs. She had never been the type to like going down on men but she loved to do it with Fitz. She liked the way his large hands grabbed the back of her head and how his fingers curled around her tresses as he tried not to cum, she liked the way he breathed her name out in ecstasy and she liked the faces he made when she slid his entire dick in her mouth.

Olivia kissed the tip of his penis before sliding it down her throat. She used one of her hands to work up and down his shaft while the other one massaged his balls.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck.' Fitz hissed. He knew he wouldn't last long like this but it felt way too good to stop her. He always preferred to be inside of her when he came but her mouth felt so wet and warm he didn't want to give it up.

Fitz pushed the some of the hair that was falling out of Olivia's face and watched her work her magic. She looked up at him, making eye contact the entire time.

He eventually used the grip on her hair to pull his dick out of her mouth and he took a few breaths. Olivia huffed and laid her head on his thigh, kissing the flesh there. 'Why won't you let me finish you off?'

'Because I don't want to cum without you.' he said simply.

When Olivia sat up Fitz grabbed the hem of her panties and helped her take them down. She raised her hips to assist him and he took his time allowing his fingers to travel down her thighs, calves, and feet before throwing them in the pile with their other discarded clothes. Now completely undressed, she laid down on her back in the middle of the bed.

Because it was Saturday morning Olivia knew that her brothers would probably all be up roaming around the house. She hadn't been worried about the noises they made before but the last thing she wanted was for one of them to come and knock on the door and hear their sister screaming out Fitz's name. Her phone was already plugged into the iHome speaker on her nightstand while it charged and she reached over to tap the play button.

While Olivia tried to get the speaker on Fitz used two of his fingers to slowly rub up and down her slit, smiling a little when he found her already wet. He slipped one of his digits into her entrance and smirked when her hips bucked forward. They were all but sucked in so he knew that she was ready for something more.

'Wait, baby.' she pleaded as she got the volume to turn up. At least one of them was trying to be responsible.

'I want you now.' Fitz demanded softly before putting his hands on both of her hips and pulling her forward.

Olivia squeaked softly and dropped the phone on the bed by mistake but the music began to play anyway through the Bluetooth. She sighed with relief and hoped it would be loud enough to cover any noises they made. Fitz spread her thighs out wide as he tried to think of all the ways he wanted to take her this morning. He wasn't paying much attention to the music but was glad she picked something slow rhythmic.

Fitz kneeled in front of where Olivia was laying and lifted her hips into his lap. He took both of her legs and lifted them so that her thighs would rest against his chest and her feet were on either side of her head. She took hold of the sheets as she prepared to take him in this new position but she'd try anything with Fitz.

'Are you okay?' he asked, turning his head to kiss her ankle. Fitz snaked one of his arms around her thigh and his other hand grabbed the base of his cock.

Olivia wiggled around a little to make sure she'd be comfortable then tried to relax her body. She wouldn't really be reach Fitz or hold onto him because of the angle they were at but it didn't bother her that much. 'I'm fine.' she nodded.

Fitz tapped the large head of his penis against Olivia's pussy a few times before rubbing it up and down, coating it in her essence and teasing them both. He smiled down at her as he pressed it to her entrance but didn't push it in yet. He wanted to be able to always remember the face she made when he slid his cock past her barrier. When he finally began to move again she took a deep breath and furrowed her brows as she slowly stretched to accommodate his size. Her mouth made an 'O' shape and her fingers gripped down on the soft fabric of the bedding beneath her. Olivia didn't know if she'd ever get used to taking him all in and even now he felt deeper than ever.

Once Fitz was sure that she was fine he began to slowly rock his hips back and fourth. He could feel her walls squeezing down on his length, sucking him right back in once he pulled back. His hand slowly crept down between her thighs and he used his thumb to rub firm circles on her clit. Olivia's hips jerked and she reached to grab his wrist in an effort to stop him.

He knew she wouldn't last long with the direct stimulation and it was even more evident when began to writhe against the sheets and her eyes rolled to back of her head. Fitz loved that he could see her face contort from his angle, even more so, he loved all the noises she made when she was close. Olivia was like a finely tuned instrument and he knew exactly how to touch her so that she'd make the most glorious of music.

When she got adjusted to their new position, Olivia began to rock her hips against his as well. Fitz sped up the tempo of their lovemaking just a bit as he added to the buildup that was sure to be an explosive orgasm for her. The grip she had on his wrist tightened even more as she realized there was no way to get him to stop. Her walls began to clamp down tighter as she attempted to squeeze even more of him inside of her.

Fitz had been working to learn all of Olivia's little signs that she would orgasm and when he felt her thighs begin to shake then he knew it was almost time. After a few more minutes of gasps and moans he watched as her entire body tensed and her jaw dropped. She wasn't usually very loud in bed but something must have set her off this morning. She screamed loudly as her free hand pulled on the fabric beneath her, pulling the fitted sheet off of the bed and clenching it to her body.

He let go of both of her legs and set them down on the bed and Olivia reached up for him. Fitz immediately laid down and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. He kissed up and down her neck in an attempt to calm her tremors.

' _Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God_.' she breathed in and out like a prayer in his ear. Olivia hitched her legs against his thighs as her walls continued to pulse around his dick.

' _More, Fitz. More._ ' she sighed as her fingers found the curls at the nape of his neck and she began to pull at them, her nails dragging from his scalp to his back.

Fitz thrusts his hips against hers and filled her up once more, earning a purr from deep in the bottom of her throat. Her nails dug into his back and she was sure to leave a mark on his skin but she didn't care. His strokes were much faster than before and she cried out loudly and held onto him. The music was drowning her out on the outside but inside the room they could hear the sound of their skin smacking against one another's and her moans and cries.

Olivia took one of her hands and cupped his jaw, turning his face so that she could kiss him. They greeted each other just open mouths and eager tongues but Fitz still didn't miss a beat. The grip her thighs had around his body began to tighten and she used her other hand to roam down his back until she found his ass. She dug her nails into his flesh there, pushing his body closer to hers.

'Let go.' he said gruffly against her lips. 'Cum for me one more time.'

'Fitz, I can't.' she shook her head but the pressure was becoming all too much. She could feel the bottom half of her stomach trembling again but she just didn't think she had it in her. 'I can't.'

Fitz moved his lips back to her neck and began to lay open mouth kisses up and down her jawline. He found it almost comical that there was a thin line between pleasure and ticklish on her neck but he knew exactly where he needed to be. He suckled on the sensitive skin there and she tilted her neck to allow him better access. The hand that was once on his jaw moved back to his neck as she began to scratch him again.

He began to pound faster into her waiting heat and she screamed loudly, no longer muzzled by their kiss. Olivia tried her best to keep her mouth shut but he made it nearly impossible. Fitz showed no mercy over his senses as he gave her exactly what she needed.

'This is my pussy.' he rumbled in her ear before biting her neck, causing her to squeal.

She nodded as she tried capturing enough breath to get the words out. 'All yours.'

Within a few more pumps Olivia felt all of the ends of her nerves splinter once more and her eyes shut tightly. Fitz came with her soon after but pulled out, wasting his seed on her thigh. Olivia was on the pill but the last thing he needed was for them to slip up. They probably needed to start wearing condoms again but he hated having a barrier between them when they made love.

Fitz rolled over on his back for a moment to catch his breath then glanced over at Olivia who had a huge grin on her face just as usual. He didn't know what made her so giggly after an orgasm but he wasn't complaining either. She kissed the side of his nose then let him go so that he could go get a towel. She reached to turn off the music while he was away.

When he returned he washed his cum off of her skin, kneeling between her parted thighs. 'I thought you said you couldn't cum again.' he grinned down at her.

Olivia rolled her eyes, not wanting to stroke his ego anymore. 'I faked it.'

'Oh, really?' his eyebrows quirked and he had to keep himself from laughing. 'You faked all that screaming and shaking?'

She huffed and looked away from him. 'Yes. I didn't want to make you feel bad so I faked it.'

'God, you're a mean little thing.' he chuckled and threw the towel to the side. He grabbed the back of her legs and spread them again. 'Well, let me make it up to you.' Fitz said as he leaned down to kiss her.

Olivia squealed and laughed and held onto his abs, stopping his movements. She didn't think she could handle another round even if she tried. 'I'm kidding!'

'Hmmm.' he hummed smugly and grabbed her in his arms and rolled them over so that she could lay on top of his body. Both of his hands found their way down to her plump ass and he rubbed and massaged the two cheeks. 'Who's pussy is this?'

She rolled her eyes but decided to play along. If it had been any other man she probably would've just left the room but she'd indulge Fitz. 'It's yours.'

'And don't you forget it.' he emphasized with a firm smack to her behind. She wanted to be mad but the little moan that she let out gave her away.

Olivia buried her face in his chest, laying a few kisses on his exposed skin before looking up at him, resting her chin in between his pectoral muscles. 'So..'

Fitz smirked. 'Sooo?'

'Are you still going to go shoot with my brothers or are you going to stay here with me?' she asked, batting her eyelashes cutely. It was something that she rarely ever did but she'd try it today.

'Oh,' he grinned and leaned in to kiss her lips. 'I'm still going.'

Olivia groaned in frustration and before Fitz could pull away she bit down hard on his bottom lip, causing him to wince away. It didn't hurt as bad as usual so maybe he was getting used to it. Fitz touched his lip to check for blood but simply shook his head at her.

'You know I'm going to have to get you back for that, right?' he asked, glancing down at her.

'I'm looking forward to it.' she mumbled before smiling coyly.

* * *

 _ **A/N: HELLLOOOOOOO ALL! Okay so I've been getting all of your reviews, tweets, messages, Snapchats, smoke signals, and threats about updating and trust me I received and read every single one of them. If you read any of my other stories then you know that I've recently graduated from college and I've just been dealing with being a broke recent grad lol.**_

 _ **I didn't do much proofreading of this chapter considering the length but I wanted to get something out for you fast. I didn't mean for it to get this long but it happened and here it is lol.**_

 _ **I want to add that I've been keeping all of my gladiators affected by the surge of natural disasters in my prayers. I'm in Mississippi so we haven't gotten any bad weather or damage but you all are definitely in my thoughts.**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy! Please read and review and enjoy!**_


	11. Meet The Popes

**NSFW**

* * *

' _Ahhh!_ ' Olivia squealed loudly and squirmed. 'Fitz, stop it!'

What was supposed to be them getting ready in separate rooms, quickly turned into them sharing the bathroom. After a series of events, that Olivia couldn't seem to recall, they ended up sharing the shower as well. She had tried her best to resist him, but it became impossible as he bullied his way through the curtain and water began to splash everywhere. Olivia attempted to push him out, but he was way too strong.

 _Now_ , he was tickling her and kissing her neck. Fitz had picked her up and pressed her back against the wall so that she couldn't get away. He wrapped her thighs around his waist, and kept her still as he put his lips on whatever piece of flesh he could reach. Her hair had gotten wet, and it was already starting to poof up and revert back to it's naturally curly state.

Fitz knew that Olivia wasn't the type to want to be coddled, but he was very proud of her. He knew it took for her to want to open up to him about the situation with Edison and, in a way, this was his way of thanking her. As much as she tried to fight him, they both knew how much she loved to be kissed and loved on.

He abruptly stopped kissing her once he reached her clavicle. Instead, he flattened his tongue and licked her all the way up to her ear. Olivia squealed even louder this time and tried to push his head away, but he was now nibbling on her ear.

She finally managed to get a grip on his hair. Her fingers clenched around his curly tresses, and she pulled his head away. Olivia was planning on scolding him for his behavior, but she never got the chance. As soon as their eyes met, she felt her body go numb. Fitz bit down on his bottom lip and looked her up and down as if he was about to devour her.

'I want to fuck the shit out of you.' he whispered lowly, effectively killing the playful mood between them.

Olivia could feel her breath hitch in the back of her throat. She swallowed hard before wrapping both of her arms around his neck. 'What else?'

His eyebrows quirked, but he grinned. They never really got the chance to talk dirty, but he was glad she was enjoying it. Fitz licked the outer shell of her ear before speaking again. 'I want you to cum all over my cock. Can you do that for me, princess?'

She let out a small involuntary moan. Olivia grabbed him by the hair on his head once more and pulled him away from her ear. Her lips crashed against his and she slid her tongue into his mouth. Fitz began to slowly lower her onto his erection, ready to be inside her again.

A mischevious look flashed across Olivia's face before she bit down on his bottom lip. Fitz winced and pulled away, only to see the coy smile on her face. He chuckled and shook his head, feeling foolish for not expecting it. She still took time to bite him, no matter how intense or intimate the situation was.

'I'm going to start spanking you for that.' he said, licking his bottom lip and checking for any blood.

Her bottom lip poked out. 'Noooo.' she whined petulantly.

'As soon as I get you back home.' he added. 'You need to learn a lesson about being so mean to me.'

'I promise I won't do it again.' Olivia smiled and leaned in to kiss his bottom lip as a peace offering, but they both knew the truth. She just couldn't help herself.

He leaned in to kiss her once more, but this time there was a knock on the door. Olivia and Fitz looked in between one another, both resembling deer caught in headlights. They weren't expecting anyone to be up so early, and they could only hope they hadn't heard anything from before.

'Liv!' Mason hollered from the other side of the door, now banging on it.

'What, Mason?' she asked, rolling her eyes. She loved her brother, but he couldn't have chosen a worse time to interrupt.

'I need you to come help me with my hair!' he called back. 'So get your ass downstairs! I have to leave soon!'

Olivia groaned loudly, her head falling to Fitz's shoulder. 'Can't it wait until tonight?'

'No!' he said before leaning against the wall beside the door. 'Can you just come help me?'

She sighed. 'I'll be down in a minute.'

Fitz chuckled and kissed her cheek. 'We can table this until later.'

'Tonight.' she promised.'

* * *

After sharing the shower, the couple actually separated to get ready. It was still fairly early in the morning, so they still had time to get things done. Olivia knew she wouldn't have time to blow dry her hair, so she used some leave in conditioner to keep it moist and then threw it up in a bun.

While Fitz was doing a great job at hiding it, he was a bit on edge by their discussion the night before. After she told him the story of her break up with Edison, he initially wanted to kick the man's ass. He couldn't even wrap his head around somebody being so mean and hateful towards Olivia. The other part of him felt the need to thank him, though. If he hadn't broken it of with her all those years ago, he would have never had a chance with her today. She was the best thing that had ever happened in his life.

Initially when Lucas asked him to go out target shooting, Fitz was a bit worried. Their relationship hadn't started off on the best of terms, and he still was unsure on whether or not he trusted him with a gun. He was almost positive that the only thing keeping him alive and well was the fact that Olivia had already admitted to Lucas that she was in love.

He threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt since he, Aiden, and Lucas would be going out into the woods behind the house. Olivia had managed to find a pair of spandex running shorts and a tank top to lounge around in before they left for the game.

When Fitz made it downstairs, Olivia was sitting in the living room with Mason and Jonah. He could smell all of the food on the stove as soon as he opened up the bedroom door and it made his stomach growl. She was on the couch, while Mason was sitting on the floor in between her legs. Olivia was one of the only people in the world that he trusted to touch his hair, so he planned on taking full advantage of her visit home. Before their parents died, Maya would always help him keep his locs straight. He did them by himself now, though, since his sister was gone.

Usually on game days, Mason would have already been on the field and with his team. His coach made a special exception, though, when he told him that his sister would be in town. He wanted to give him plenty of time to spend with Olivia before she left, but he had to promise to be at warmups on time.

Mason seemed to be extremely focused on the game that he was playing with his brother, but he managed to keep his head completely still. They both had controllers in their hands and Fitz could practically hear the way their thumbs were smashing against the plastic joysticks from upstairs. Jonah was lying down on the couch adjacent from them wearing only a pair of basketball shorts, a white muscle shirt, and a durag on his head to help preserve his haircut. From the looks on their faces, it was fairly obvious that Mason was winning.

'Something smells good.' Fitz commented as he made it down the last step.

Olivia looked up at him and smiled. 'Hungry? The staff made some breakfast food and laid it out on the counter. The rest of it won't be ready until later.'

'Starving, actually.' he said, dramatically holding his stomach, making Olivia chuckle.

'Hey, hey.' Mason huffed and smacked the top of Olivia's foot to get her attention. 'Can you flirt with him some other time? You're supposed to be concentrating on my hair!'

'Watch yourself, little brother.' Olivia warned before turning her attention back to Fitz. 'Lucas is still in his office, but Aiden is outside waiting for you guys. Please, be careful.'

'Yes, dear.' he chuckled.

Olivia stretched her neck and puckered her lips for a kiss, although Fitz hesitated. It wasn't that he was ashamed or embarrassed, he just wasn't sure how her brothers would react to them being affectionate with one another. It seemed as if he was finally getting everybody to like him just a little bit and he didn't want to mess that up.

He leaned forward anyway, though, and pressed his lips against hers. There was no way he could deny her anything she requested. He'd ride to the moon if she wanted it.

'Ew.' Jonah commented, barely turning his attention from the same they were playing.

Mason glanced up and gagged loudly. He reached to hit Olivia's knee to get her attention once more. 'Earth to Olivia! Can you not be disgusting over my head?'

Olivia rolled her eyes at her dramatic younger brothers. She took the comb she had been using and popped the back of Mason's head because of his outburst. He winced and leaned forward, holding onto his scalp and trying to rub the sting away.

'That hurt, Liv!' he hissed.

'Good!' she scolded and shook her head.

Fitz couldn't help but laugh as he watched them. In a way he kind of envied how close Olivia seemed to be with her siblings, but he didn't dwell on it. He could never imagine allowing his sister to play in his hair and he knew for a fact that she didn't care enough to cook him a meal. He shot Mason an apologetic look before heading towards the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast before he left with Lucas and Aiden.

Lucas had been up all morning preparing for the tailgate. Once the word got out that Olivia would be there, a lot of their family had decided to come. All of her aunts and uncles joked that she probably wouldn't show her face back in Mississippi for another 20 years, so they needed to make the most of this time with her. Plus, her aunts Claudette and Modeste had spread around that she had found herself a white boyfriend and this was something they all wanted to see in person.

'Are you ready to go?' Lucas asked Fitz as he came into the kitchen area. He patted his shoulder to grab his attention then walked past him so that he could grab an apple from the fruit bowl on the table.

'Sure thing.' Fitz nodded, halfway biting down into an apple to keep it in his mouth so that his hands could be free.

'You all be careful out there!' Olivia called out as she heard their footsteps heading toward the back door.

'Yes, mother.' Lucas called back sarcastically.

Aiden was sitting on the back porch, texting away at his phone. He usually spent most of his time in Georgia, but he had a few ladies in town who wanted his attention. He didn't see himself settling down anytime soon, but wouldn't lie and say that he didn't enjoy having the company of some of the young women around.

Lucas walked up behind him and grabbed his cellphone out of his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. Aiden would probably move into that small device if somebody gave him the chance. 'Let's go brother. You can go back to breaking hearts later tonight.'

Aiden was about to object, but he simply chuckled instead. Lucas and Olivia had been lecturing him for years about cleaning up his act, but he just didn't want to yet. He stood to his feet and zipped his hoodie up a bit and nudged Fitz's arm.

'He's just jealous that nobody wants a bald man.' Aiden playfully grabbed the beanie off of Lucas' head, revealing his brother's shiny head.

Lucas' eyebrows furrowed before snatching his cap back. 'Don't be so sure, Aiden. You'd be surprised how many women enjoy a man with minimal hair.' he said as he made his way down the stairs of the porch.

'Only blind women.' Aiden murmured to Fitz who only laughed at their petty argument.

'I heard that, brother!' Lucas called back out to him.

Lucas owned a few smaller vehicles that he kept around the house, including a couple of golf carts. He didn't use them very often, but it was something that he was glad that he had. One of the staff members had pulled it around and parked it and left the keys in the ignition. He got in on the driver's side while Aiden and Fitz crawled in beside him.

Fitz hadn't realized how much property Lucas actually owned until they started riding through it. Most of it was woods and trees, but there was a clear beaten path that they were going down. Autumn was nearly in full swing so there were leaves everywhere on the ground which made loud, crunching noises as the wheels rolled over them.

'What do you plan on doing with all this land, Lucas?' Fitz asked curiously, looking around at the beautiful scenery. As much as he loved Boston, even he had to admit that this was breathtaking.

After a few moments of silence, Lucas finally responded. 'I'm not sure, actually. If all of my siblings decided to come back then they can all build there homes here.'

'That sounds like a compound.' Aiden quipped. 'Lucas is suggesting that we all form a cult.'

'Shut up.' Lucas' eyes rolled. 'No, I'm not. I just think that it would be nice to have everyone all together. I'm not forcing anyone to do anything.'

'I'm just saying.' Aiden shrugged.

'But, if all else fails then I'll just use it as a hunting space I suppose. Maybe I'll start a farm or something. Have a manmade lake put out here and then invest in some goats or pigs.' Lucas said as the gears in his mind began to turn.

'You seriously would want to start a farm?' Fitz's eyebrows raised.

'Worth a shot.' Lucas stated, bobbing his head back and forth as he thought through some quick logistics. 'I wouldn't give it up, though. My father left it to Olivia and I before he passed away, so we need to find something useful for it.'

Fitz's nose crinkled, but he kept his comments to himself. A part of him wondered exactly how much money Olivia was sending back home to help maintain everything, but he wouldn't ask that out loud. He would wait to see if she brought it up herself, and then they could discuss further. Mississippi was actually starting to grow on him a bit, though. He wouldn't mind moving here and raising their family.

He wasn't sure how close he'd want to live to all of her brothers, though.

Lucas pulled up to a clearing and stopped the vehicle. After putting it in park, they all crawled out of the seat and went towards the back of the cart where there was a box of guns that the staff had packed. He was an avid collector so he brought out some of his best to show.

'This is beautiful.' Fitz commented, holding the gun in his hands and inspecting it.

'Probably a lot prettier than what the Navy gave you.' Lucas teased with a chuckle.

'Absolutely.' he said as he reached to put some ammo in it.

Lucas reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He tapped the bottom of the carton a couple of times before sliding one out and then offering one to Fitz. He hadn't planned on having a smoke today, but now that it was offered to him he'd take it. He used his hand to shield it away from the blowing wind while Lucas lit it up.

'You both are going to die by 40.' Aiden commented as he aimed at one of the targets that Lucas had hanging up against a tree.

Fitz chuckled as he sucked in smoke. 'I hope not. That's right around the corner for me.'

'Don't mind him. He's always been a bit sensitive.' Lucas commented as he sat down on the cart and held the cigarette between two of his fingers. 'And apparently he's a terrible shot as well.'

'I'm not.' Aiden defended. 'But don't sit around and expect me to help nurse you guys back to health if something happens.'

Lucas shook his head and closed his eyes as the wind passed through once more. He had always been more of an indoors type of guy, but he loved being outside during the fall. The air was crisp and the colors were bright so he could honestly sit out here for hours.

Fitz loaded his gun and then aimed it at the target, shooting it dead in the center his first try. Aiden's jaw dropped, but Lucas could only laugh. 'Looks like you better try and get some lessons before Fitz dies in a few years.' he quipped.

'He was in the military for years. Obviously he'd be a better marksman than I am.' Aiden huffed.

'That didn't have anything to do with it.' Fitz shook his head and laughed. 'You just have a terrible aim.'

Lucas and Fitz shared a quick laugh at Aiden's expense. He wanted to be upset at them both for finding the situation humorous, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was honestly just glad that it seemed like the two of them were getting along better. Olivia rarely ever dated, so for her to bring Fitz home to meet the family meant that she was very serious about their relationship. He knew it was important that they all got along well.

'Can I ask you guys something?' he asked as they watched Lucas reload one of his guns.

'Go for it.' Aiden prompted.

Fitz swallowed hard, unsure of what their reaction would be. 'Olivia mentioned Edison to me—'

Before he could even get the rest of his sentence out, Lucas and Aiden had both turned their heads to look at him. They both seemed pretty surprised to hear that name. They didn't think Olivia would ever be ready to tell Fitz about Edison, and they definitely weren't expecting it this soon.

'What about him?' Lucas pulled another cigarette out of the pack, knowing he'd need it if they were about to have this conversation.

He cleared his throat a bit. 'Olivia told me a few things about him, but I can tell she didn't say everything. Is there anything else you guys have to add?'

'Well, I don't really know what all Liv told you.' Aiden shrugged. 'But, I don't think she'd want us snooping in on the conversation. If there's something you need to know, I'm sure she would say it.'

Under usual circumstances Lucas would agree with Aiden, but this was different. He absolutely hated Edison, and would express that to anyone that would listen. 'He's an asshole, and my biggest regret was not saving Olivia from that situation when I had the chance.'

Fitz nodded, hoping that Lucas would continue.

'He's been trying to get in contact with her.' he grumbled. 'He says its to apologize, but I don't think so. It's been years, so I don't know why he suddenly had interest on reconciling.'

'Do you think he knows that she's here?'

'Probably so.' his shoulders shrugged. 'Liv is fairly popular, and word travels fast around here. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up at the game this afternoon. He went to school with us, so it wouldn't be strange for him to be there.'

'But, I'd kick his ass if he even approached Olivia.' Aiden added, his fists clenched. 'As long as he stays far away, we should be fine.'

Lucas nodded his head in agreement before cocking his gun and aiming at his next target. He was almost positive that if Edison saw them, that he'd approach them. He was very bold, and would stop at nothing to get his point across. They would just have to deal with him when it happened.

The three of them stayed out for another hour or so. Aiden swore that all he needed to do was warm up a bit before his shots got more accurate, but that was proven wrong. He only hit the bullseye a couple of times and even then it was more of a fluke than anything. Lucas knew that they all needed to start preparing for the day and heading down towards the stadium so that they could set up.

By the time they returned to the house, Mason was packing up a bag and getting ready to leave. His hair didn't need much work, so it didn't take long for Olivia to finish it up. She handed him a protein bar so that he could eat it on the way to meet his teammates.

'We're all going to be out there watching you.' Olivia assured as if Mason didn't already know. 'Lucas said that he reserved us some seats down near the field so we can take plenty of pictures.'

'Just don't yell my name really loud, Liv.' he asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder. 'I don't want the guys to know that my sister is crazy.'

Olivia cut her eyes at him before grabbing the wooden spoon she had been stirring food with. She smacked him hard on his large, muscular arm and then held it in his face as he winced in pain. 'I'm going to yell as loud as I want to and I don't care about what your nasty little teammates have to say about it.'

Mason grumbled and complained, but on the inside he was holding back a smile. Unlike Jonah, who was very vocal about how much he missed and loved his sister, Mason had to always pretend to be some hard ass. He loved Olivia dearly and was absolutely over the moon when he found out that she would be attending one of his football games before he graduated. He would never tell her that, but he was excited. They would be playing their rival school today and he planned on single handedly taking down every man on the opposing team just to show off to her.

'Shit, Liv!' he hissed, rubbing his arm.

'And stop all that cursing!' she popped him again. 'You know that mama would be having a fit right now if she found out how much of a potty mouth you are!' Olivia scolded.

He rolled his eyes, still keeping his lips from curling up and into a grin. She couldn't have known how happy he has to have her back home, even if she was smacking him around. It felt like their family was finally complete once more. 'Alright, alright. Just cool it, crazy woman.'

Olivia grunted at her brother's overblown ego. She had no idea how he really felt because he always pretended to be so tough. She put the spoon down on the counter once more and took hold of both of his shoulders, pulling him into a hug.

'I love you. We all love you. Please be very careful.' she said before kissing his cheek. 'But, if we lose tonight then don't expect any dinner.' Olivia half teased.

Mason finally allowed himself to smile now that Olivia couldn't see his face anymore. He didn't remember much of his mother, but hugging her made it feel like Maya was right back at home. They even smelled the exact same, but he always assumed that it was just in their choices of overly expensive perfume.

Instead of enjoying the moment, he pushed Olivia off when he started to feel too warm and fuzzy inside. He had a reputation to uphold and having a cuddlefest in the kitchen was not the way to do it.

'How about you get on the field and have some grown man running at you and trying to take you down?' his brows furrowed. 'You just worry about whatever you have going in those pots and pans. I'm going to be very hungry when all of this is over.'

Olivia waved him off. 'Shut up and go before you're late. We'll see you after.'

Mason sighed dramatically and headed out of the door so that he could get into his car. Fitz had just walked in the door, but he was there long enough to see their conversation, including when she popped him with the spoon. Mason was a pretty big guy, but it amazed him to see that his little Livvie, along with her utensil, could bring him down. He walked up behind her and kissed her cheek.

Olivia immediately shivered when his cold arms wrapped around her waist, but she still visibly melted into his body and smiled. 'How was it?'

'Pretty good. Both of your brothers have terrible aim, so I'm very happy that I came back in one piece.' he said, holding her tighter as she turned her attention back to the food she was making. 'I had a great time.'

'Well, that's good.' she hummed. 'You're very cold, Fitzgerald.'

'I know.' he grinned widely. 'I was hoping that hugging you would make me warmer.'

Olivia laughed and swatted him away. 'You're terrible. Go take a hot shower and then come back downstairs.'

'I think I like this method much better.' he said, refusing to let her go.

'If you stay down here then you have to help me cook.' she bargained. 'Also, you smell like smoke. Was Lucas out there smoking?'

Fitz immediately blushed. He usually made it a point to chew a piece of gum or brush his teeth once he was finished, but he had forgotten today. Instead of getting her worked up over nothing, he cleared his throat and ignored the second part of her question. 'What do I need to do?' he asked, gesturing to the stove.

'Nothing much.' she shook her head. 'Just taste a few things for me.'

'That's easy.' he grinned and opened his mouth, ready for whatever she was about to serve.

Olivia chuckled at his readiness and put the spoon down. She had a huge pan of baked macaroni and cheese on top of the counter, but she uncovered it and grabbed an extra spoon to grab some of it out.

Fitz watched her curiously. 'You made macaroni and cheese for the tailgate? I thought we'd just have hotdogs or something.'

Her nose crinkled cutely. 'Sweetheart, you're in the south now. We do things a little differently here. Now open.' Olivia urged, holding the spoon up to his mouth.

He opened his mouth once more as she put the warm spoon on his tongue. His face immediately lit up as he tasted it. 'This is really good, Liv. Are you sure you made it?'

Olivia elbowed him in the stomach. 'I advise you stop being so mean to me. My auntie Modeste and Claudette are going to be there this afternoon and I'm not afraid to leave you alone with them.'

Fitz reached up and touched his face. The last time he saw them they had pinched his cheeks so hard that he thought for sure that his skin would be bruised. 'I'll be on my best behavior.'

'That's what I thought.' she smiled and turned around in his arms before standing on the tips of her toes so that she could kiss his cheek. 'A lot of my family is going to be there today. You don't feel uncomfortable, do you?'

'Not at all.' he shook his head. 'It's only right that everyone gets a chance to meet your future husband.' Fitz said casually.

Olivia chuckled before draping her arms over his shoulders and tilting her neck up so that she could look into his eyes. 'I'm serious, Fitz. We can rearrange some things. My brothers are enough to handle, but my aunts and uncles and cousins are a beast on their own.'

'Olivia.' he mumbled cooly. 'I'm not afraid of your family. We won't be able to hide from them forever. Don't be so nervous.'

'You're the first boyfriend anyone has met since…' Olivia almost said Edison's name but she stopped herself. Fitz looked like he was seeing red the night before when she told him the story, and she didn't want to bring those feelings back up for him. 'You're the first boyfriend anyone has met in a very long time.' she quickly corrected.

Fitz smiled and moved his hands, his fingers gripping around her tiny waist. 'Then they must know that if you made the decision to bring anyone around again, that you were completely serious about them.'

Her lips turned up into somewhat of a devious smile. 'Who said I was serious with you? My other boyfriends were busy this weekend.'

He playfully growled at her, pulling her body closer to his until she crash landed against his figure. Olivia almost lost her footing and was pretty sure that she was going to fall, but Fitz had a good grip on her.

'You better watch yourself, princess. You know I'm going to make you pay for all of your teasing.' he warned. 'As soon as we touch down in Boston.'

She smiled and rested her chin against his chest so that she could look up to him once more. 'What did I do now?'

'I'll let you figure it out.' he smirked and pushed a stray piece of hair out her face before leaning in to kiss her.

Before they got too caught up in their moment, though, Jonah was coming into the kitchen and looking for something to eat. His entire face scrunched up when his eyes landed on Fitz and Olivia about to eat each other's faces off. He walked over to them and pushed them a bit which caught their attention.

'Could you two stop being gross over the food?' he gestured to the pot of collared greens that Olivia had on the stove top. 'We all have to eat these!'

Her eyes rolled and she reached to pick up her wooden spoon. 'You're going to get the same beatdown that Mason got if you don't watch yourself.'

Jonah winced and took a step away. He could hear his brother hollering in pain from all the way up the stairs and he definitely didn't want that treatment. Instead of putting up a fight, he grabbed some fruit out of the bowl on the cabinet and retreated back into his bedroom.

'Are you sure that you want to put up with this today?' Olivia asked once more, this time hugging him around his waist.

'I'm actually very excited about it.' he said confidently.

* * *

Fitz _was_ excited about meeting her family, but now he was extremely overwhelmed.

It all started on the way to the stadium. Jonah was determined to drive his own car so that he could show off his new ride, but Olivia and Lucas weren't budging on the subject. They told him he couldn't drive without an adult in the car, and neither one of them could ride with him. They were going to go in Lucas' truck and haul the remaining food out for the tailgate. Deciding to be a good sport, Fitz agreed to ride with him.

About 2 months ago, Jonah had driven off of Lucas' car lot with a brand new Jeep Wrangler to call his own. He would have much preferred a Corvette, or maybe even a Camaro, but that was out of the question. Lucas and Olivia didn't agree on much, but they both knew he wasn't getting a sports car.

Olivia had tried to give Fitz a look, signalling him not to go along, but he brushed it off. If he wanted to be a part of the family, then he knew he would have to do things like this. He just saw it as something an older brother would do for his siblings and didn't see any harm. Plus, Jonah's driving couldn't have been that bad if they actually gave him a license.

Lucas and Olivia left a few minutes before they did, wanting to be off of the roads before 'Hurricane Jonah' hit the streets. Fitz thought they were being a bit dramatic, but was a bit worried when Olivia continuously reminded him to wear his seatbelt.

Fitz thought a simple tshirt and jeans would look fine for the game, but Jonah wanted to look good. He made sure that his hair was neat and tidy, he ironed his clothes, and he sprayed enough cologne for the whole stadium to smell him. Fitz thought it was a bit funny, remembering the days that he'd do anything to try and impress any potential ladies around.

'So, what was being in the Navy like?' Jonah asked they walked out of the house and towards the garage area.

'It was nice I suppose.' his shoulders shrugged. 'Lots of hard work. Dangerous at times.'

Jonah nodded, clearly pretending as if he understood. 'Did you ever have to kill somebody?'

Fitz's nose crinkled, and he immediately wanted another cigarette. He didn't really like to talk about his part in the war, but he didnt mind discussing it with Jonah. It just stressed him out a bit. 'I may have have to take a few lives. Only in very neccessary cases.'

'Woah.' his eyes widened. 'Do you have any stories?'

'A few.' he murmered. 'But, you don't want to hear them. They're very gruesome.'

'Aw, cmon Fitz.' he groaned. 'Just tell me one.'

He sighed. 'I once had to shoot a man in the head. One clean shot from a highrise building about 100 yards away. I can't tell you anything else. It's highly classified.'

'That's pretty cool.' he grinned widely.

Fitz simply chuckled and shook his head. He could remember times begging his grandfather to tell him his old war stories, so he supposed that this was pretty similar.

Once they made it to the garage, Jonah opened the door and led him to his vehicle. Fitz opened the door to Jonah's jeep and his face immediately scrunched up. It smelled like an old dirty gym bag, and the seat was a little sticky. There were empty water bottles on the floor of the passenger side, but he made no effort to move them over. Instead, Jonah hopped into the driver's side and put his key in the ignition.

'Get in, Fitz!' he said, patting the seat.

'Are you serious?' Fitz's eyebrows raised.

'Oh, my bad.' Jonah put his seatbelt on and adjusted his mirrors. 'Now, we're safe!'

Fitz sighed, but boosted himself into the vehicle. A part of his regretted not listening to Olivia, but it was too late to turn back now. He pushed some of the bottles around with his foot then buckled his seatbelt, checking it twice to make sure he was secure. Before he could even sit back, Jonah threw the car into reverse and pressed down on the gas. He accidently hit one of the bushes while he was backing out, but Fitz was sure that he didnt notice it.

Once they made it out of the gate, Jonah plugged his phone into the stereo system so that his music would play. Fitz would have prefered for him to keep both of his hands on the wheel, but he didn't say anything since they were at a stop light. He sat back in his seat, trying to keep his composure for the ride.

'Any requests?' Jonah asked as he scrolled through his playlist.

'No.' Fitz shook his head. 'Just keep your eyes on the road.'

'I got it.' he waved him off.

As soon as the light turned green, Jonah sped off. His music started to play through the sound system, and he turned the volume all the way up. All of Fitz's nerves were on edge as he dipped through traffic with loud rap booming in his ears. Jonah didn't seem afraid at all, though, actually happy that they'd be making record time to the stadium.

'Jonah!' Fitz yelled over the music. 'Don't you think you should slow down?'

'Don't worry about it!' he yelled back. 'The police aren't usually out during this time!'

As soon as they arrived, Fitz nearly flung himself out of the vehicle. He thought about getting down on his hands and knees and kissing the ground, but he refrained. He didn't want to discourage him in anyway, but he also learned to never ride with him again. All this time he thought Olivia was a bad driver because of how fast she goes, but now he saw that it just ran in the family.

Jonah came around to his side and hit him on the back, obviously excited. 'Thanks for riding with me, Fitz. I don't know why Lucas thinks I still need a babysitter.'

Fitz swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. 'No problem. Maybe you should slow down a little though, Jonah. And maybe turn the music down.'

Jonah cocked his head to the side and looked at him as if he had grown two heads. He then burst out laughing and started walking towards the tailgate spot. 'You're hilarious, man.'

Olivia and Lucas had already arrived, and were helping the staff set up the area. Just like their parents, and grandparents before them, they were very big donors to the school. Their whole entire family was basically Alexander royalty, which is why they had access to a huge tailgate spot right next to the entrance to the stadium.

Even though it was pretty cold outside that morning, the temperature had raised to the mid 80's and everyone was breaking a sweat. Olivia, Lucas, and Aiden all had on white Alexander Alumni t-shirts with dark jeans on. Her denim shorts ended midway down her thigh and showed off her shapely legs, but Fitz tried his best not to stare. He didn't want to be rude in front of her family, and he knew he'd get a chance to look all night long.

The rest of their guests would be arriving shortly, and they wanted everything to be prepared. Fitz saw that she was busy, but his body just naturally gravitated towards hers. Once Lucas walked somewhere else to do something, he knew that was his opportunity to swoop in.

He came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Olivia was busy taking the roll of paper towels out of the wrapping, but she still turned her head to kiss his cheek. 'I'm so glad to see you back in one piece. _Glad_ , but surprised.' she chuckled.

Fitz groaned. 'I thought I was going to die in there. Why didn't anyone tell me Jonah couldn't drive?'

Olivia laughed. 'I tried to warn you, but you wanted to be all macho and make your own path.'

'Mhhmm' he hummed, placing a chaste kiss on her neck. It wasn't anything sexual, but the vibrations from his voice alone was enough to make a shiver go up and then down her spine. 'I'm going to need to see a masseuse as soon as we get back to Boston. Your brother hit every pothole that we saw. It's almost like he was aiming for them.'

Olivia placed the roll of paper towels down then turned around in his arms. She draped her arms over his shoulders and smiled. 'I can probably help with that.'

'Really?' his eyebrows quirked. 'I don't know. This may be a tough job.'

'Well, I don't want somebody touching all over my man.' she teased. Olivia ran one of her hands down his chest. 'Plus, I let you work all my kinks out a couple days ago. I'm sure I can help you.'

A grin formed on his face as he thought back to their time in the shower. His ears perked up and his dick twitched as it pressed against her stomach. ' _Your man_ , huh?'

Olivia lightly licked her lips and pulled him down so that their lips would crash together. Fitz was a bit surprised, but he was enjoying all the attention he was getting. They'd never be able to do this type of stuff at home, so this was nice.

Before they could get too caught up in their moment, they were both splashed with a cup of cold water. Olivia hissed and pulled away from Fitz, but was glad none of it got in her hair. Aiden was unashamed as he crossed his arms and looked them up and down.

'You two need to get it together.' he scolded. 'There will be kids here any minute now, and you can't keep your lips off each other!'

Olivia cut her eyes at him. She reached down on the table below her to grabbed the first thing she saw, and it happened to be a skewer. She gripped the sharp object and immediately started walking towards her Aiden with full intentions on harming him. Fitz thought about stepping in to help, but decided against it. He wouldn't do anything to come in between her or her brothers, and that included saving them.

'Go get em, baby.' he encouraged before taking a step back.

* * *

Other than Olivia and Aiden bickering, things were pretty quiet and relaxing until the people started to arrive. The first ones there were her aunts and uncles and they were all very excited to see Olivia. Fitz tried his best to stand off to the side as they had their little reunion, but he was the only tall, white man around so he kind of stood out. Not only that, everybody was excited to meet her new boyfriend after hearing all the great things her aunt Claudette and Modeste had been saying.

His plans on observing from the side were foiled, though, when Olivia found him. She grabbed him by the arm and lead him over to where Modeste and Claudette were sitting with their husbands. They were the oldest 4 people in the family, so they got to have a table of their own so that people could come around and say hello as they pleased.

Fitz wasn't exactly sure, but he counted at least 15 aunts and uncles in all. He knew that she had a big family, but he had no idea how big it really was until now. He had a feeling that they'd be making their rounds to everyone before they finally got a chance to sit down and eat themselves.

Before Olivia could even say anything, Modeste and Claudette both hopped up from their seats and rushed over to where they were standing. They nearly knocked Olivia out of the way to get to Fitz, but she didn't mind. She liked the fact that everybody seemed to be warming up to him so well. Her aunts absolutely hated Edison, so the fact that they liked Fitz so much was a really good sign in her book. Both of the older women clung to each of his biceps as they began to squeeze his muscles and pinch his cheeks, just like they had done before.

'My, my, my.' Claudette grinned as she looked him over. 'Well, darling you look good enough to eat.'

Fitz chuckled a bit nervously. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to get used to how forward Olivia's family members were. 'Thank you, Miss Claudette.'

Modeste looked Olivia up and down before reaching out to pull her shorts down a little bit. 'Livvie, baby you've just got all your thighs hanging out, don't ya?'

Olivia blushed and tried to shoo her aunt's hand away. 'They're just some shorts, auntie. It's getting pretty hot out here.'

'Oh, leave her alone Modeste.' Claudette playfully scolded. 'You know she's just trying to show off for her new man!'

She was quickly becoming more and more flustered, although she knew that her aunts had no type of filter to themselves. 'Auntie!' Olivia hissed lowly.

Claudette reached out and grabbed a bit of her exposed thigh, gently pinching down on her flesh. 'I see you've gotten a little meat on your bones, too. You know what they say about when a woman gets a new man and she starts gaining a little weight in the behind.' she winked at Olivia.'

Fitz's eyebrows raised. 'What does it mean?'

'Nothing!' she shook her head and reached out to grab his hands so that she could tug him away from her aunts. 'I'll tell you some other time. Let's go and meet my uncles.'

He nodded and waved goodbye to Claudette and Modeste and followed her over to the table where the men were sitting. They had been busying themselves talking about the latest basketball game, but both their faces lit up when they saw Olivia.

'Olivia, girl is that you?' one of them grinned. 'Girl, I can barely recognize you!'

Olivia chuckled softly and leaned down to give them both hugs. They were getting older now and used canes to get around, so she knew how difficult it would have been for them to stand up and greet her.

'It's still me, Uncle Earl.' she said as she kissed his cheek.

'I thought I would never get a chance to see you again.' Peter said, crossing his arms and sitting back in his seat. 'It's been almost 20 years, aint it?'

Her eyes immediately rolled, but she expected to get a lot of criticism today. This was the first time she'd be seeing a lot of her family in years, so it was obvious that they'd have to share their 2 cents about her absence.

'It hasn't been that long.' she murmured softly. Olivia grabbed Fitz's arm and brought him forward, hoping to get some of the attention off of her. 'You guys, this is my boyfriend, Fitz.'

Both men studied him very closely before Earl cut his eyes at him. He picked his cane up and pointed it right at Fitz's chest. 'So you're the one keeping Olivia from coming home and visiting?'

Fitz chuckled a bit nervously and held his hands up in a false surrender. Olivia smiled and pushed the stick down slowly. 'Don't blame Fitz for that. That's completely my fault.'

'Mmhhm.' Peter looked him up and down, regarding him closely. 'What do you do for a living, boy?'

'I actually work in finance.' he smiled softly, trying to seem calm and cool.

Olivia could tell he was a bit nervous, so she reached out and rubbed his back. 'He'll also be earning his PhD next semester, so he's in school as well.' she mentioned, beaming with pride.

Earl waved her comment off. 'You've already got one of those, Olivia. What exactly does this boy bring to the table that you don't already have?'

'I hope you won't be living off of Olivia since you're still in school.' her uncle Peter questioned with a stern look on his face.

'No, sir.' he shook his head and wrapped his arm chastely around her waist. 'I work and earn money to take care of myself, and I usually have enough leftover to take her out on a few dates as well.'

'Fitz does very well for himself, actually.' she continued to boast, although she knew this was all going to his already over inflated ego. 'You guys don't have to interrogate him. Lucas and Aiden have already done plenty of that.' Olivia chuckled.

'It's alright, Livvie.' he smiled. 'I understand that they just want to make sure you're in good hands.'

'Well, is she?' Earl cocked his eyebrow.

'She is.' Fitz nodded his head with confidence.

The men both looked him up and down once more before Earl raised his cane to him again. 'I'll let you make it this time, but you better not anything screw up. I almost went out and killed the last one.'

Olivia became a bit flustered because the last thing she wanted to do was bring up Edison. That was bound to put everybody on edge. 'Well, that won't be necessary this time, Uncle Earl.' she said, trying to dismiss the topic.

'I fought in Vietnam, and I'm not to old to fight you, either.' Earl emphasized with a glare.

Fitz's face lit up a bit as he realized he finally found something he had in common with the older men. 'I'm actually a veteran as well. I just made it back to the states a few years ago.'

'Oh, really?' Peter's furrowed brow lifted a bit. 'Marines?'

'No.' he shook his head. 'I was in the Navy.'

The two men looked at him like they were horrified. Peter held onto his chest as if he was having a full blown heart attack while Earl just shook his head. This was the most devastating news that they had received since Muhammed Ali lost to Joe Frazier back in 1971, so they were both being a bit dramatic.

'Olivia, don't you know your daddy would kill us all if he was here?' Peter began to fan himself with a paper plate that had been sitting on the table and looking around as if Eli's ghost would pop up out of no where.

'Daddy would have to just get over himself this time.' she chuckled softly at their little act. 'Fitz makes me very happy, and you all are going to have to accept that.'

Earl sucked his teeth and looked at Fitz. 'Boy if Eli was here he'd cut your fingers off for touching his daughter.'

Before their conversation could continue, a group of Olivia's cousins arrived. She quickly dismissed them from that conversation so that she could introduce to everybody else. Fitz tried his best to stay by her side, but it seemed like she was getting pushed and pulled in different directions. Everybody was just excited to see her, and they all wanted to at least have a chat since it had been so long.

As the time continued to pass, Fitz thought he was going drown in Popes. He handled himself pretty well, but on the inside he really needed a break. He could barely remember anybody's names, but Olivia was doing most of the talking anyway. It seemed like everyone was very eager to meet him and ask them questions about how they met and how long they had been together.

Fitz was very relieved to see Olivia's friends Yasmin and Jamie arrive with their children. They were the only people that he recognized, and he really just wanted some time to have a normal conversation. He managed to slip away from Olivia long enough to join them at the table with their kids.

Yasmin had been feeding her son David a spoonful of beans when he came over. She looked up long enough just to catch a glimpse of him. 'Hi, Fitz.'

'Hey guys.' he smiled and waved as he sat down, eager to get a break.

Lima had been playing a game on her mother's phone, and didn't even look away from it to wave. David, on the other hand, put his hand up and waved his fingers around as best he could. Fitz had to push his mind away from the thought of having little chubby babies for now, but it was hard when they were so adorable.

Jamie chuckled and shook her head. 'Uh oh. I know that face.'

'What do you mean?' he asked, his nose scrunching up a bit.

'You're having a Pope Family overload.' Yasmin chuckled. 'We understand. It can be overwhelming.'

He was initially going to pretend like he had no idea what they were talking about, but Fitz was relieved that someone else understood his struggle.

'There's just so many of them.' he whispered, leaning into the table. 'I didn't even know you could have a tailgate this big.'

Yasmin snorted as she wiped some sauce off of David's face. 'Lucas has a "go big or go home" mentality. You should be here during homecoming.'

'Don't worry about learning everybody, Fitz.' Jamie added. 'Honestly, I can only ever remember half of these people, and I've known Liv since elementary school.'

Before their conversation could continue, Fitz felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see who it belonged to, but he honestly already knew. His eyes met with Olivia's and he internally groaned. He hadn't even gotten a chance to eat yet, and he felt like he was being thrown back out to the lions.

Instead, though, she placed a plate of food in front of him. She had seen the pained expression on his face, and decided to put him out of his misery. He had all evening to meet everyone, and she didn't want to put too much pressure on him. Meeting so many Popes could be a handful.

She took the seat beside him and placed her own plate down. Olivia had managed to successfully navigate with 2 drinks in the crook of her arm, and she handed him one of them. She rubbed her hand over his knee and gave him an understanding smile. Fitz mouthed a silent 'thank you' to her, relieved for the break.

Lima had been quietly sitting with Jamie until she saw Olivia. She immediately got out of her seat and went to sit in her godmother's lap. She had on a blue and white cheerleading outfit, and Jamie had pushed her hair up into a puff on top of her head. She had matching pompoms in one hand, and a popsicle in the other.

'Do you like my outfit?' she asked with a huge, toothy grin.

'I love it.' Olivia said before leaning in to kiss her temple, causing Lima to squeal in delight.

'I'm here too, you know.' Fitz reminded.

Lima shyly waved at him, but then turned back to Olivia. She was her main focus. 'Auntie, are you going to teach me how to dance before you leave?'

'I can sure try, Lima Bear.' she said before smoothing out her hair. 'Did you say hello to Fitz?'

'No.' her nose crinkled and she leaned in to whisper into Olivia's ear, although everyone at the table could hear her. 'He's a boy.'

Fitz nearly snorted. 'I can't help that, Lima.'

'He wouldn't look very good in a dress, either. He doesn't have the legs for it.' Olivia teased.

Lima turned to Fitz and studied him closely for a few moments. 'I'll tell you hello if you give me one dollar.' she held up her pointer finger for further emphasis.

His jaw dropped for a moment in disbelief. Fitz glanced over at Yasmin and Jamie, who were both snickering at his sudden predicament. Lima held her hand out to her expectantly and sucked on her popsicle in the other hand, clearly waiting for her payment.

Realizing that nobody was coming to his defense, he groaned and reached into his pocket to fish his wallet out. He opened it up and searched through the different pockets to find any cash. 'I think that for a dollar, I should at least get a hug. This is robbery.'

'Your boy cooties might get on me.' she immediately shook her head, but flexed her fingers impatiently.

Fitz pulled the only bill he had out of his wallet and inspected it. 'Sorry, Lima. All I have is a $5 on me right now.'

With almost catlike reflexes, Lima reached out and grabbed the cash out of Fitz's hand. 'That's okay. I'll take it. Hi, Fitz.'

Everybody at the table burst into laughter, including Olivia who promptly gave Lima a high five for her quick work. Fitz groaned and pretended to be annoyed, but he was actually enjoying himself. Despite now losing $5, he liked spending time with everyone.

'I can't believe you just let a 5 year old con you.' Yasmin said, tears nearly rolling down her face as she laughed.

Jamie grabbed a napkin to wipe her face as she tried to calm herself down. 'I don't know what you guys are going to do if you end up with a daughter. Fitz is going to run your finances in the ground.'

'He can't help himself.' Olivia chuckled. 'I'll have to put him on a budget.'

Lima put the $5 in Olivia's hand. 'Auntie, can you hold this? I want to buy me and David some popcorn when the game starts.'

Fitz cut his eyes at Lima. 'David is a boy, too. Why are you being so nice to him, but mean to me?'

'David is a baby.' she explained as if the answer was so obvious. 'Don't be jealous, Fitz.'

Yasmin, Jamie, and Olivia all shared another laugh at Fitz's expense.

About an hour before kickoff, Lucas gathered everyone around so that they could head into the stadium. Not everyone had a ticket to go to the game, so some people would be staying behind to eat and drink and dance until they returned.

There was a sea of people trying to get into the main gates, but they wouldn't have to fight through all of them. Because of Lucas' donations, they were allowed to use the exclusive entrance that led to their VIP seating. He had all of their tickets in his back pocket, and he handed them over to the man guarding the door.

Fitz had started off holding Olivia's hand as they walked towards the stadium, but Lima wasn't having any of that. She quickly shimmied her way in between them, and intertwined her finger's with Olivia's. Instead of being apologetic, she quickly stuck her tongue out at Fitz.

'You are so mean to me.' he laughed and shook his head.

'You can't hold my aunties hand unless you get married.' she sassed back at him.

'Oh really?' his eyebrows quirked. Fitz leaned down and picked Lima up, clearly catching her by surprise. She squealed and cackled as she was hoisted up into the air.

'Put me down!' she tried to fuss through her laughter. 'Auntie, help me!'

Olivia chuckled and raised her hand in a false surrender. She had David in her other arm on her hip, so she definitely couldn't do much for her. 'He might get me too, Lima bear. Tell him you're sorry and maybe he'll put you down.'

'Neverrrrr!' she tittered and kicked her legs, trying to make it difficult for Fitz.

Fitz snorted and threw Lima over his shoulder. She was fairly light, so it didn't matter how much kicking and screaming she did. Jamie managed to snap a quick picture of them together, but then immediately sucked her teeth and shook her head.

'You're going to create a monster, Fitz.' she said before sliding her phone back into her pocket. 'She's going to want you to carry her everywhere.'

Olivia watched on as Fitz interacted with her friends and family, and felt her heart warming. He was doing a great job at becoming another part of the group, and she loved seeing his relationship with Lima blossom. If it weren't for their circumstances back at home, she'd be trying to make a baby with him tonight.

'When I get down from here, I'm gunna get you!' Lima screamed and tried hitting Fitz on his back.

'Well, then I guess you won't be getting down!' Fitz grinned and started to jog away from the group, making Lima giggle uncontrollably as they went faster.

'You better be careful with my baby, Fitz!' Jamie called out as they ran ahead.

'I got her!' he answered back before spinning in circles.

Yasmin nudged Olivia's side and said lowly so the whole group couldn't hear. 'This looks good on you, Livia.'

'What?' her eyebrows furrowed and she glanced down at her outfit. 'These pants?'

Jamie snorted and shook her head. 'Not your clothes, crazy. This.' she gestured towards David.

She cut her eyes at both of them. 'What are you guys talking about?'

Yasmin smacked her arm. 'All of it! You look so happy!'

'Oh.' she laughed, nearly throwing her head back. 'I already told you guys, I'm very happy. Being with Fitz makes me happy.'

'We can tell.' Jamie grinned. 'But, have you seen yourself? You're glowing. I don't think we've ever seen you like this.'

She shrugged her shoulders but smiled. 'I guess I didn't know it was possible until I met him.'

'Thats not the only thing that looks good.' she mumbled suggestively.

Her eyes playfully rolled. 'What else?'

'You guys look great with the kids.' she poked at David's tummy. 'Even if one of them is mine.'

Olivia looked forward and saw the way Fitz had now moved Lima to his shoulders and was carrying her around. She had her hands on top of his head, her tiny fingers splayed through his curls. She had a huge grin on her face and although they couldn't exactly hear what she was saying, she was positive that she was trying to point him in the direction of the snow cone stand.

'Fitz does look really good. He talks about it sometimes.' she mused softly. 'He would be so happy.'

'All I'm saying is that this look suits you.' Jamie responded with a smile of her own. 'I can't wait to start planning out this wedding and baby shower.'

'You're getting a little ahead of yourself.' she chuckled. 'Fitz hasn't even proposed to me yet.'

'Oh, please.' Jamie scoffed. 'Have you seen the way that man looks at you?'

'I already told you guys, we're taking it one day at a time.' Olivia said before pressing her head against David's. 'But, there won't be anyone else after Fitz. He's ruined me for any other man. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else.'

Yasmin's eyebrows raised. 'I think the word you're trying to say is love, Livia.'

She bashfully hid her face in David's head full of curls, although he didn't seem to mind it much. He was just ready to sit down out of the beaming sun. 'That's enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore.'

Jamie's heart swelled at Olivia's response. She had never seen her like this, and she was happy she finally found somebody to call her own. She glanced over at Yasmin and silently agreed to kill Fitz if he ever did anything to hurt her.

Fitz ran back over to the group, doing circles around then as Lima continued to bounce up and down on his shoulders. His face was turning red and there was sweat dripping from his hairline, but it was obvious that they were having a good time.

'Cmon, slowpokes!' Lima called out to them. 'People are going to get our seats!'

'Nobody is going to get our seats, Lima.' Lucas said. 'I reserved them so nobody would sit there.'

'Okay.' she huffed. 'But, Mason is gunna start playing without us! It's taking you guys too long!'

Olivia giggled at Fitz's facial expression. No amount of working out or gym time could have prepared him for this. 'Are you okay?'

'I think so.' he panted as he tried to keep up a steady trot. 'I think I'm going to need a break soon.'

'Noooo!' Lima whined and pulled on Fitz's hair. 'Faster! Faster!'

Jamie nearly cackled. 'I tried to warn you!'

Fitz winced as her little fingers clung to his curls. He tried his best to put on a smile before jogging off again in the direction of their seats.

Once they made it inside the stadium things had to slow down a bit. There were a crowd of people trying to find their seats, and it was kind of hard for them all to stick together. Jamie was actually glad that Lima was sitting on top of Fitz's shoulders because it made her much easier to keep up with.

The other thing slowing them down was Olivia. She tried her best to walk fast and keep up with the group, but it was nearly impossible. People kept stopping her to say hello and get hugs. Fitz had already heard that she was very popular while they were in school, but he had no idea how popular until now. It seemed like she knew everybody in the stadium.

'You're going to steal the show tonight.' Fitz teased. 'Nobody is going to be able to watch the game if they're all trying to talk to you.'

'You're ridiculous.' she laughed and shook her head. Before she could get another word out, though, somebody else started calling her name, which only further proved Fitz's point.

By the time they made it the VIP seating area, they only had about 20 minutes until kickoff. The section was small, but it wasn't very hard to spot. It was about the bottom of the stadium, so close to the field that they could almost make out what the players looked like under their helmets. It was divided from the general seating by a metal gate, and a man at the door to unlock it.

The man recognized Olivia's brothers and friends, and let them through without asking to see their tickets. Their private section was divided off by a rope, but they still had enough room for everyone to sit comfortably. Fitz was the first person to flop down on the bench, more than eager to get Lima off of his back for a while.

He thought he'd have to try and pull her down from his shoulders, but she climbed down herself. She immediately situated herself in Olivia's lap, content with sharing her spot with David. Fitz ran his hand through his sweaty hair, but didn't complain. He actually enjoyed spending time with everyone. His family had never been this close, so it was nice to experience something new.

Lucas sat down beside Fitz and immediately hit him on his back. Fitz winced from the strong blow, but tried not to let it show that it hurt.

'Let's get this game started!' he yelled as he watched the team warm up.

Olivia leaned over to whisper in Fitz's ear. 'He gets a little passionate at these games.'

'I can tell.' he murmured back. 'Is he going to be like this all night?'

'Oh, you haven't seen anything yet.' she gently rubbed his back where Lucas hit him. 'I almost feel bad for you.'

His eyebrows quirked. 'So you knew he was going to be like this, but you didn't warn me?'

She snickered softly. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be sorry now. Be sorry later.' he shot her a pointed look. 'That's strike 3, princess.'

Olivia cocked her head to the side, a little confused by what he meant. Before she could ask, he looked away from her and turned his gaze towards the field where Mason was warming up. She was going to question him, but Lima started bouncing up and down in her lap.

'Which one is Mason, auntie?' she asked, scanning through the huddled up players closest to them.

'Hmmm.' she hummed lowly then pointed. 'That one right there with the long hair. He's 55.'

As the time began to wind down, the VIP section began to fill up with families who had tickets. There was a man going around selling concessions, and Olivia ordered some popcorn for Lima and David with the $5 she had snatched from Fitz. Lima was old enough to hold her own food, but David needed a little help so Olivia held it in her hand so that he could just reach in and grab some.

His bottom lip poked out and Fitz poked Lima's arm. 'May I have some?'

'No.' her nose crinkled. 'This is mine. You have to get your own.'

Fitz huffed dramatically, but he had a feeling that would be her answer. David, on the other hand, reached inside his bag of popcorn and pulled a few kernels out. He put a couple of them in his mouth, but offered the rest to Fitz. He was just about to take it before he realized that it was covered in slobber.

His nose crinkled. 'No, thank you. I'll let you eat it all by yourself.'

Obviously not understanding what Fitz was saying, David still tried to hand it off. Fitz sighed but held his hand out for it, his face squinting up as he realized how wet it had gotten. He pretended to put it in his mouth, but really tossed it on the ground where David couldn't see it.

'More?' David asked, digging his hand through his bag again.

'No!' Fitz cleared his throat. 'No. I'm so full. I can't handle anymore. Thank you, David.'

Yasmin chuckled and shook her head. 'What are you going to do when you have kids of your own?'

'Not ask for anything to eat.' his nose crinkled.

By kickoff time, things had really heated up. Mason huddled up with his teammates before the game began, and managed to find them in the crowd. He waved at his family before taking his spot on the field and adjusting his helmet. He'd never say it out loud, but he was feeling really good about tonight's game. He planned on showing off for Olivia so she could see how much better he had gotten.

Olivia immediately grabbed her phone out of her back pocket so that she could take pictures. Mason managed to score the first touchdown of the game, and the crowd went absolutely wild for him. People were shaking their pom poms, whistling, and clapping their hands as he bumped chests with a few of his teammates.

As the next play began and the noise from the people in the stands began to die down a bit, it became obvious that they werent the only people cheering Mason on. They could hear a man's voice, loudly shouting out his jersey number in an attempt to get his attention. They all assumed he was a regular fan, but he wouldnt stop even after the next play had been called.

Olivia curiously scanned the crowd to see who was yelling, and then immediately became flustered. In the general seating stands sat Edison Davis, alongside his wife, mother, and daughter. Her body sunk further into her seat, wanting to make herself invisible. She knew it was too late, though. She was sure that Edison had already spotted her, and was only doing this to get a rise out of her.

As soon as she saw him, so did everyone else sitting with them. The air in their small seating around grew a bit rigid as they all tried to ignore him.

Fitz immediately noticed her change in demeanor and wrapped his arm around her. 'Hey.' he murmured. 'You okay?'

'I'm fine.' she said back. 'That guy yelling Mason's name is Edison.'

'Excuse me?' his eyebrows raised and he began looking around in the crowd. Edison wasnt hard to spot considering that he was the only one still yelling for Mason who currently isnt on the field.

Olivia immediately grabbed his hand. 'Don't go looking for him, Fitz!'

'Well, if he wants attention then I'll give it to him.' he cut his eyes at Edison, who still had'nt stopped.

She groaned and hid her face in her hands, clearly embarrassed by what was going on around her. 'Fitz, please. Please not right now.'

Fitz wanted to object, but he could see how upset the situation was making her. Instead of pushing it, he simply sat back in his seat. Lucas also noticed Edison, but didn't want to say anything else to Olivia that would upset her. Instead, he leaned in and whispered to Fitz.

'I tried to warn you.' he said, refusing to even glance over at Edison.

'You did, but you didn't tell me he'd be an asshole.' he grumbled. 'What's his problem?'

'He wants to talk to Olivia.' he shrugged his shoulders. 'Edison is trying to get her attention. It's best if we just ignore him.'

Fitz rolled his eyes, clearly not liking their strategy. He peeked one more time at where the Davis' were sitting, but this time he met eyes with Edison. He wanted to glare or even flip him off, but he didn't get the opportunity. Edison winked at Fitz, as if he found their little game amusing, and then went back to watching the field.

By halftime, Fitz honestly had no idea what was going on in the game. He was trying his best to pay attention, but it was hard when Edison wouldn't shut up. He didn't understand how everyone else was doing such a great job of just ignoring him, but it was really getting under Fitz's skin. He was clearly trying to harass Olivia, and he wouldn't stand for anyone trying to hurt her in any way.

He would occasionally peak up at Edison, but never for long. Just long enough to make him sick to his stomach. This last time, though, he noticed that he got up and walked away from his seat. Fitz was immediately on edge, fearing that he would try and come their section. Much to his relief, though, he walked out of the doors and towards the restrooms and concession stands.

Acting out on pure adrenaline, he leaned over to kiss Olivia's temple. 'I'm going to the bathroom. Need anything?'

'Can you just bring me a bottle of water and some candy and maybe some nachos?' she asked, sweetly batting her eyelashes at him.

Fitz chuckled and nodded his head before standing up. He pushed through the small crowds to get to the gate with full intentions on finding Edison.

There were plenty of people gathered in the large stadium corridors, but Fitz was a man on a mission. He didn't know what he was going to say or do when he saw Edison, but he'd have to worry about once he finally caught up with him. Luckily, he wasn't too hard to spot as he threw away some trash and then headed towards the men's bathrooms.

He was just about to follow him, when somebody grabbed his arm. Fitz stopped in his tracks as the person's fingers tightened around his bicep.

Lucas hadnt been paying much attention, but he did see Fitz get up and head out of the main stadium area. That was also when he realized that Edison was no longer in his seat, either. He could tell that Fitz was a bit of a hothead, and he wanted to go after him before he made a decision that he regretted.

'Let go of me, Lucas.' Fitz said plainly, not wanting to waste any time.

'No.' he refused. 'You're about to do something stupid, and I'm going to stop you from doing it.'

'Do you not see what Edison is doing?' he cut his eyes at Lucas. 'He's clearly trying to upset Olivia. I'm going to just sit here and watch it happen and not do anything about it.'

'I understand you're mad.' he said behind gritted teeth. 'I'm mad, too. I've been mas as hell for years. This isnt the solution, though. If you go after him then you're giving him exactly what he wants.'

'No, I won't.' he tried snatching his arm away. 'I'm going to go punch him in his throat.'

Lucas held firm, although they both knew Fitz could break free if he wanted to. 'So he can press charges against you? What would that solve?'

'Maybe he'd learn to leave Olivia alone if he had actual consequences.' he said, peeping towards the bathroom to make sure that Edison hadnt walked back out yet. 'He deserves anything that's coming to him at that point.'

'Fitz.' Lucas groaned. 'Olivia is here with you. She's not even paying attention to Edison. She hasnt been home in years. Don't fuck this whole trip up over your anger, man.'

Fitz finally looked back at Lucas for a moment, clearly weighing out his options. He snatched his arm away from Lucas and clenched his fists tightly. He started to march in the other direction, and it seemed as if he hadnt heard a word he had said.

'Fitz!' Lucas called out, walking after him.

His eyes rolled. While Fitz was very angry at Edison, he knew that Lucas was right. Nothing good was going to come from him going after Edison, and he didnt want to ruin Olivia's day.

'Livvie wants nachos and candy.' he said, gesturing towards the growing concession stands line.

Lucas sighed with relief and nodded his head. Instead of sticking around to babysit Fitz while he got the food, he returned to his seat. Aiden was also very concerned about Fitz when he got up, but Lucas gave him a silent thumbs up to let him know that he had handled the situation.

Fitz returned to their area right before the game started back up with all of Olivia's food. He was wearing a very forced smile, but she didn't seem to notice. She had been way too busy talking to Yasmin and Jamie about the halftime show, and Lima and David were happily bouncing in her lap as they watched the band return to their seats.

Mason's team ended up winning the game 14-3, and the whole crowd erupted into celebration. They were close enough to the field to see Mason take off his helmet and bump chests with a few of his teammates. The band started to play very loudly, and there was a sea of blue and white pom poms waving around the crowd.

The families of the players were allowed down on the field to take pictures after the game so they all prepared to meet Mason on the sideline. Fitz, Yasmin, and Jamie all started heading back towards the tailgate area with Lima and David who were both sound asleep. Mason was already undressed and in a t-shirt and shorts by the time they had fought through everyone to get to him. He was soaking wet in sweat and his entire body was sore, but he lit up once he saw Olivia. It was one of the only games she had ever been able to attend, so he was excited.

Instead of just saying that, though, he stood up to his feet and wrapped her in a hug. Olivia was much shorter than him, which meant her face ended up being smushed into his chest. She gagged and struggled against his embrace as Mason intentionally drowned her in sweat.

'You're disgusting!' she hollered, trying to push him off.

Aiden popped Mason on the back of the neck hard enough to stun him. 'Enough, little brother. It's time to take pictures.'

Mason winced, but let Olivia go. She took a few deep breaths, glad to be getting some fresh air back into her system. She made a mental note to find a way to get him back, but she'd table her plans for now. It was Mason's night, and she wanted him to be happy.

'That was a really good game, Mason. I'm impressed.'

The group had been so caught up in their celebrations, they hadn't noticed that Edison had followed them down to the field. It was the first time Olivia had seen him up close in years, but not much had changed. It seemed as if he had gained a few pounds in the waist and there were a few more wrinkles spread across his skin, but it was definitely Edison. He had one a blue Alexander t-shirt and a pair of dark washed jeans. The baseball cap on his head hid an obvious balding spot, and he was smacking on a piece of gum in his mouth.

'Thanks.' he said plainly. 'But, this is family hour. You're not supposed to be on the field if you're not related to a player.'

'I won't be here long.' he smiled sweetly, making sure to catch eye contact with Olivia. 'Liv, I didn't know you were home. It's very nice to see you again.'

Olivia opened her mouth to respond, but Mason didn't give him time to. 'If you don't get your ass off this field I'm getting security.'

Edison raised both his hands in a show of a surrender. 'No need. No need. I just wanted to discuss something with your family. I've recently started taking on sports clients and representing them as their agents. Mason I know that you have your eyes set on the NFL, and I've been hearing talks of Jonah coming to Alexander to play basketball.'

'I don't need any representation.' Mason shook his head. 'I don't need anything from you, actually.'

'And neither do I.' Jonah added

'Fair enough.' he nodded his head then reached into his pocket. 'But, let me at least give you my card just in case you change your mind.'

Edison pulled his card out, but didn't try handing it to Mason or Jonah. Instead, his eyes were trained on Olivia. He extended his hand to her, but she didn't even budge. Lucas stepped in at that point and took it from Edison's hand. 'Thank you again, but we don't need your help.'

'I was trying to give it to Olivia, but-'

Mason had heard and seen quite enough of Edison by this point. He was usually pretty level headed but, just like Lucas, he had a short fuse. He took a few short strides towards Edison, ready to smack him with his helmet. 'Boy, don't you ever talk to my sister again! I'll fuck you up!'

Aiden quickly grabbed Mason's free arm and held him back. Mason was huffing and puffing, clearly ready to get his hands on Edison.

He took a deep breath. 'Just, please use the card.' Edison said before slowly backing away.

'I'll kill you!' he yelled after Edison.

Olivia immediately moved to cover Mason's mouth. 'Are you crazy? That's considered a threat, Mason! You can't say that!'

'I don't care!' he snatched his arm from Aiden. 'He didn't have any business coming over trying to fuck with us. He's just trying to be messy.'

'He wants to get a reaction out of us.' she took a step in front of Mason and placed both of her hands on his shoulders. 'Don't let him get you angry. He didn't do anything to me. I'm still here and I'm fine.'

Mason groaned and rolled his eyes. 'If I see him again I may hurt him.'

* * *

By the time they made it out of the stadium, it had gotten pretty late. Everyone was pretty much ready to go home except for Lucas and Aiden who decided to stay behind with their family in the tailgate area. It would be open up until the early morning hours, so they'd probably be there a while. Mason, exhausted from playing a full game and upset about seeing Edison, decided to skip out on partying with his teammates tonight. He immediately found his car and headed towards the house as well.

Since Olivia rode to the stadium with Lucas, she would have to hitch a ride back home with Jonah. She grabbed a few togo plates from the tailgate so that everyone could have leftovers for dinner, and so Mason could have something good to eat once he made it home. Lucas was sure to give all the food away by the end of the night, so she wanted to be sure that they all got some.

'I'm driving.' Olivia said before they made it to Jonah's jeep.

'Aw, Liv.' he huffed. 'Why can't I drive?'

'Because I actually enjoy my life, Jones.' she said as she opened the door to the backseat to put the plates on the floor. As soon as she poked her head in, her entire face scrunched up. 'What is that smell?'

'I don't smell anything.' his shoulders shrugged.

Olivia nearly gagged. 'You're washing this car tomorrow, Jonah. This is disgusting.' she held her hand out for his keys.

Jonah sighed and reached into his pocket to fish his keys out. He handed them over to Olivia then crawled in the backseat since Fitz had already gotten comfortable on the passenger's side. She climbed up into the driver's seat and adjusted it a bit so that she could actually reach the pedals below her feet.

'Edison came down to the field before we took pictures.' Olivia mentioned to Fitz as she drove.

His nostrils immediately flared out. 'And said what?'

'That he was getting into representing sports players and that he wanted to discuss some things with Mason and Jonah.' Olivia answered, keeping her eyes glued to the road.

Fitz glanced back at Jonah who simply shrugged his shoulders. 'And what did you guys say?'

'Hell no.' Jonah shook his head. 'We don't want anything to do with him. And, Mason almost beat his ass.' he grinned.

'What?' he nearly hissed.

'He did not.' Olivia rolled her eyes.

'Fitz, you should have seen the look on Edison's face.' Jonah went on braggingly. 'I thought he was going to pee on himself.'

'He didn't try to hurt you or anything, right?' he asked seriously.

'No.' she immediately shook her head, not wanting to leave room for any doubt. 'He wasn't even close enough to touch me.'

Fitz sighed and sat back in his seat. He was a little upset that he couldn't be there himself to give Edison a piece of his mind, but he was just glad she wasn't alone. With 4 brothers, Olivia was one of the most protected people in the world. They're the only other people that he trusted to keep her safe. For the rest of the car ride, they listened to Jonah tell the story over and over about how Mason almost beat Edison up.

Olivia grew tired of hearing it, but Fitz loved it.

Once they arrived home, Olivia and Fitz headed straight to her bedroom. 'Did you enjoy yourself today?' she asked before heading over to her drawers to find some clean clothes to change into. It had been a long day and she was sure that she smelled like sweat and barbecue.

'I had a great time, actually.' he said in a matter of fact tone, not even bothering to mention that he was willing to beat Edison's ass just a few hours prior. 'I like seeing this side of you, Livvie. You're much more relaxed when we're here. You've been happy.'

'It's easy to be happy when you're not dealing with a bunch of whiny students all the time.' she teased.

'I'm not whiny.' he touched his hand to his chest, feigning hurt.

'Oh, you're the worst of the worst.' she chuckled then headed towards the bathroom to shower.

'And where do you think you're going, Olivia?' he asked, his eyebrows quirked.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. 'I'm going to go take a shower.'

Fitz moved to the edge of the bed so that his legs would dangle off the side. 'No, you're not. I think we still have some unfinished business. You've got something you need to handle.'

Olivia gently pressed the door to the bathroom open, trying her best to hide the smile now forming on her face. 'Well, then you better come on.'

She walked inside the restroom, but kept her back turned to him. It wasn't long before Olivia heard footsteps right at her heel, though. She knew it wouldn't take him long to come after her. Before she could turn back to him, she felt his strong hands wrap around her waist. Fitz immediately began to pull at the shirt she had on, and she soon found it above her head and then falling to the floor.

* * *

Sunday was their last full day in Mississippi, and it felt very bitter sweet. Olivia and Fitz were both ready to get back home and get back in the swing of things, but they had definitely been having a good time. It seemed as if Olivia was taking it way harder than he was, though. She had forgotten how much she missed her brothers, and she wasn't sure when she'd be able to come back and see them again. Other than the situation with Edison, the trip had gone perfectly.

The whole family was supposed to go to church together this morning, but Olivia was up before anyone else. She knew that as soon as she got out of bed, Fitz was going to wake up. He was a pretty heavy sleeper, but it seemed like the moment she moved he was always up and alert. She tried her best to ease out of the bedroom, but she should have known better. No more than a couple minutes later he was sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

After seeing that the bathroom light was off, Fitz made his way downstairs to find her. He shut the bedroom door behind him carefully, sure not to wake anyone else in the house. He took the stairs down to the living room, and searched through the house until he found her. She was sitting in the den with a blanket over her body and flipping through the pages of a book.

He approached her slowly so that he wouldn't startle her. Fitz peeked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at and realized it was an old family photo album.

'You okay?' he asked, leaned forward to kiss her temple.

She placed the palm of her hand against his face. 'I'm fine. Just going through some old things.'

'Mind if I join you?'

'Not at all.' she pushed the blanket back, making enough room for them to share it.

Fitz rounded the couch and sat next to her, cuddling close so that they could both see the album. He immediately chuckled when he saw a photo of her at a dance competition with a very serious look on her face. Olivia immediately popped his arm, a punishment for making fun of her.

'You can't look with me if you're going to be mean.' she warned.

'I'm sorry.' Fitz tried his best to relax his cheeks and suppress his smile. 'How old were you here?'

She gently nudged the photo out of it's place in the book. Olivia handled it carefully as she turned it over to reveal writing on the back. 'I was 11.'

Olivia flipped to the next page and saw a picture of her holding Jonah when he was first born. Fitz was just about to comment and say how cute they looked when he heard her sniffle. There were a couple tears streaming down her face as she tried to sob quietly.

'What's wrong, Livvie?' he wrapped his arm around her and used his opposite hand to wipe a few of her tears away.

'I don't want to leave yet.' she admitted, nearly choking as she tried to stop herself from crying.

He smiled warmly at her and held her close, allowing her to cry into his chest. To the world she was just big bad Olivia Pope, but Fitz got to see every side of her. Even when she was crying her eyes out. He'd be sure to take care of both sides in any way he could.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Whew! Y'all still out there? I know it's been so long since I've updated TGA, and I'm sorry. If you follow me on Twitter then you know that I ended up losing a few of my stories in some type of strange memory crash. I was very frustrated by what happened, and it made it very hard to write. This definitely wasn't exactly what I had planned on happening, but I was also eager to end their vacation. I'm not trying to rush it, but after re-writing this chapter 3-5 times, I'm over it. Hopefully the updates will be more consistent now that I've gotten over this hump. I'm not super happy with what it became, but we're going to keep pushing forward!**_

 _ **I've been seeing all your messages and tweets about updating, and I know you guys are probably just as frustrated as I am. On a personal note, I'm dealing with finding a job and figuring out some things in my life. I'm not ignoring you guys, but I have to take care of things on my end first. Unfortunately, FanFiction doesn't pay any bills lol. Please bear with me.**_


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